Daulton Bauer hypes up his brother Gavin after he drew a foul for a free throw opportunity.
Editor’s Note: The Independent will update the online version of this story by putting the latest games at the top. The newspaper itself will have the stories in chronological order.
After a rough start, a few runs help JWP defeat #3 Red Lake County 67-58
The Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton boys’ basketball team has already made history by making the Class A state championship game.
Now, they’re hoping to add to that by winning the team’s first-ever state title, and JWP’s second-ever team championship title (and second in a calendar year). They’re one step closer with a 67-58 win over #3 Red Lake County.
It wasn’t that great of an opening for the Bulldogs. But it isn’t how you start. It’s how you finish.
JWP’s boys worked their way through a tough Red Lake County squad to take the 67-58 victory over their Rebels.
The RLC five didn’t waste any time putting points on the board. They scored their first three-pointer in about 30 seconds. After both teams tested each other again, another three rang true.
At one point, JWP fell behind by double-digits. RLC was making Daulton Bauer work for every point. But others came in clutch. Caleb Quast, who was limited to only a handful of points in JWP’s game against Cherry, fought hard in the paint for a few buckets. A 3 by Wolff here and another 3 by Weedman there, and an all-out assault by Gavin Bauer helped the team climb their way back into it.
The team’s work resulted in a 15-2 run to end the first half, and for their efforts, they earned a 32-29 lead. Both of Daulton Bauer’s free throws sealed the lead.
The older Bauer may have been limited to mostly free-throw tries in the first half, but that wasn’t the case in the second half. After G. Bauer hit a two-pointer, Daulton started the scoring for the Bulldogs with a two-pointer. Suddenly, they went from locking the senior down to having trouble containing him. He was left open for two fast breaks, and suddenly, the Bulldogs were up by nearly double-digits themselves.
The Rebels brought it back within a score almost halfway into the second, 44-42. But that was as close to taking back the lead as they could get. Another run, this time a 16-5 onslaught, pretty much sealed it. The run was capped by a huge three-pointer from the win by junior Gavin Weedman, and that was about it.
RLC had a few last gasps of breath. Credit to them; they never quit. But a few free throws by D. Bauer and one by Weedman let JWP cruise to the 67-58 victory.
The older Bauer led the team again, this time netting 29 points. Gavin Bauer was much more limited, but he still contributed 16 points and seven rebounds. Caleb Quast entered the double digits, putting up 12 points. Gavin Weedman had seven, and Jaxon Wolff contributed his one three-pointer.
#1 Henning, previously undefeated heading into their semifinal matchup, was knocked out by #5 Hills-Beaver Creek in overtime 61-57. That means JWP will likely be the home team as the higher-seeded remaining team. Good luck, Bulldog boys.
Bauer Power propels Bulldogs past Cherry in 81-72 victory
The whole state of Minnesota got to see Bauer Power in effect on Thursday, March 26, as the #2 JWP boys’ basketball team played against #7 Cherry. The Tigers have some history at the state tournament, including winning a state title two seasons ago and being the runner-up last year.
Some thought Cherry could upset the Bulldogs. But JWP proved them wrong.
While JWP has the Bauer brothers, Cherry had a family duo of their own – the Asuma cousins. The Asumas have a rich basketball history. Isaac Asuma currently plays for the University of Minnesota men’s basketball team and was one of the key contributors to Cherry’s state title victory in 2024.
The cousins, Noah and Isaiah Asuma, combined to score 61 of Cherry’s 72 points. But the Bauers were superior, combining for 71 of JWP’s 81 points.
Senior Daulton Bauer got things rolling with a step-back two-pointer. Cherry was showing aggression on both sides of the ball early. However, they were being a little too aggressive, as both Bauer brothers had a chance at the free-throw line early.
But every time JWP seemed poised to break the game wide open, Cherry fought back. They took a brief 8-7 lead, but the Bulldogs kept chipping away. Eventually, Cherry took a timeout when the boys went on a 7-0 run. JWP’s speed seemed to overwhelm the Tigers at times. Gavin Weedman stole the ball, found Daulton Bauer open on the other side of the court, and he set up Gavin Bauer for the two.
But again, Cherry proved they were a team with history at state for a reason, as they regained their composure and kept climbing back into it. JWP had a 34-28 lead near the closing minutes of the first half, and the Tigers took another brief lead, this time 35-34. The Bulldogs escaped the half with a narrow 38-37 lead.
Head Coach Nick James said the first five minutes of the second half really set the tone for the rest of the game. “That was important to us,” he said.
Although Cherry opened the scoring with a three-pointer, Gavin Bauer responded right away with a corner three-pointer of his own. Quast provided two points at the free throw line, and from there, it was a battle between Bauer Power and Asuma Magic. The Tigers seemed frustrated, and one of their players, Kalub Brown, fouled out.
At one point, JWP had a double-digit lead, but Cherry kept fighting until the end. The Bulldogs took advantage of the Tigers’ fouling woes to secure an 81-72 victory. Daulton Bauer led the way with 39 points, with Gavin Bauer providing 32.
