RCTC Men's Basketball Faces Tough Weekend in Wisconsin
The Rochester Community and Technical College Yellowjackets faced a challenging back-to-back slate at the Just a Game Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells, dropping both contests to Milwaukee Area Technical College and Bryant & Stratton College (WI). Despite flashes of promise, RCTC struggled to maintain consistency across both games, falling 102–85 to Milwaukee and 72–46 to Bryant & Stratton.
Game 1: Milwaukee Area Technical College 102, RCTC 85
In Friday's matchup, RCTC battled hard but couldn't keep pace with Milwaukee Area Technical College's high-powered offense. The Stormers shot an efficient 52% from the field and showcased depth, with 13 players contributing to the scoring column.
RCTC started the game competitively, trailing just 43–36 at halftime. However, Milwaukee's second-half push, scoring 59 points, proved too much for the Yellowjackets to overcome. Turnovers were a major issue for RCTC, committing 34 compared to Milwaukee's 22, which led to fast-break opportunities and easy buckets for the Stormers.
Sophomore guard Armoni Dishinger-Harris led RCTC with 18 points, hitting 4-of-10 from beyond the arc. His offensive spark kept the Yellowjackets within striking distance early. Tycen Vig added 12 points and 5 rebounds, showing strength in the paint, while Brandon Wilson contributed 14 points and 6 boards off the bench in an efficient 6-for-6 performance from the free-throw line.
Milwaukee's Turon Rivers was a standout, scoring 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting and grabbing 5 rebounds. Raydelh Boutin added 15 points and 6 assists, orchestrating the offense with poise. The Stormers' bench also played a key role, combining for 69 points, including double-digit contributions from Noah Daniels (10 pts) and Ozzie Johnson (10 pts).
Despite shooting a solid 84% from the free-throw line, RCTC's 41.8% field goal percentage and 32% from three couldn't match Milwaukee's efficiency. The Yellowjackets did win the rebounding battle 42–36, but the turnover disparity and Milwaukee's ball movement (23 assists) proved to be the difference.
Game 2: Bryant & Stratton College (WI) 72, RCTC 46
Saturday's game was a tougher outing for RCTC, as the team struggled to find rhythm offensively. Bryant & Stratton jumped out to a commanding 39–14 lead at halftime, fueled by RCTC turnovers and transition scoring. RCTC's shooting woes were evident, hitting just 32.4% from the field and a mere 6.7% (1-of-15) from three-point range.
The second half saw some improvement, with RCTC scoring 32 points, but the deficit was too large to overcome. Julian Carter was a bright spot, scoring 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting and adding 3 rebounds. Dominic Martinez-White also impressed with 8 points and a team-high 8 rebounds.
Forward John Johnson chipped in 10 points and 7 rebounds, providing interior presence, but the team's overall offensive execution faltered. RCTC managed just 1 assist from its starting five, highlighting ball movement issues and difficulty creating open looks.
Bryant & Stratton's Jaylen Murphy led all scorers with 17 points, while Asher Haas added 14, including four three-pointers. The Bobcats shot 54.5% from the field and 36.8% from deep, capitalizing on RCTC's defensive lapses. Their 19 steals and 13 blocks underscored a dominant defensive performance.
RCTC's 21 turnovers again proved costly, and the team converted just 1-of-5 free throws, missing opportunities to chip away at the lead. The Yellowjackets were also out-rebounded 34–28, and their bench, while active, couldn't generate enough scoring to shift momentum.
Looking Ahead
While the weekend ended in two losses, there were encouraging signs for RCTC. Dishinger-Harris continues to emerge as a scoring threat, and Carter and Martinez-White showed potential off the bench. The team's rebounding effort and free-throw shooting in Game 1 were positives, but ball security and offensive flow remain areas for improvement.
The Jackets take to the road this weekend for the opening MCAC Crossover series taking on MN North - Vermilion and MN North - Mesabi Range.
