Game recaps from March 5 to 9
The Wisconsin Herd nailed this road trip, going 3-0 and extending their winning streak to five straight overall. Here are this week’s results:
Wisconsin Herd vs. Santa Cruz Warriors: WIN (116-98)
- Henry Ellenson: 28 points, 18 rebounds, five assists, 8/15 FG, 7/7 FT, four turnovers
- Stephen Thompson: 28 points, 10 rebounds, 10/21 FG, 4/12 3PT
- James Akinjo: 28 points, six assists, five steals, 11/21 FG, 5/9 3PT, five turnovers
A big win for Wisconsin as they pulled away in the second half. No Milwaukee Bucks guys played in this one, and I suspect none will play in the remaining two games of the Herd’s west coast road trip. Having three guys each score 28 points is big. Ellenson’s FTA number stands out. As for James Akinjo’s game, I think this might be a season-high in scoring for him. Not great that he had five TOs after a few nice assist/turnover games prior. The three-point number is very nice from Akinjo too. Finally, Stephen Thompson dropping 28 while going 4/12 from three is a funny quirk, but good to see him scoring in other ways.
Wisconsin Herd vs. Santa Cruz Warriors: WIN (112-110)
- James Akinjo: 11/19 FG, 6/10 3PT, nine assists, four turnovers
- Terence Davis: 8/12 FG, 6/8 3PT, -14
- Henry Ellenson: 6/20 FG, 0/3 3PT, 16 rebounds, three turnovers
Not many flattering stat lines in this one, but it looks like James Akinjo followed up last game with another solid outing. I couldn’t watch, but TD had quite an efficient game (certainly by his standards) and was somehow a -14 in his minutes. Looks like Ellenson really struggled; his efficiency is usually way better than this. Finally, I should note that this was new Herd recruit John Butler Jr.’s first game with the team after being acquired from the Capital City Go-Go during the week.
For those that don’t know, Butler is this 7’0”, 190-pound forward with a 7’2” wingspan—skinny as a string bean. He went undrafted in 2022 and has signed two-way contracts with the Portland Trail Blazers and Washington Wizards since. Because of his weird and wonderful dimensions, he was viewed as a possible long-term three-and-D prospect by draft experts. However, these experts also urged John—some might say begged—to go back to Florida State for another year or two to work on his body and refine his game; he did not. As such, Butler has bounced around, becoming something of a journeyman in his young career. May he find a home with the Wisconsin Herd and become the next Jaden McDaniels.
Wisconsin Herd vs. Rip City Remix: WIN (116-112)
- Stephen Thompson: 27 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, 11/23 FG, 4/10 3PT
- James Akinjo: 21 points, nine assists, four steals, 9/19 FG, 2/8 3PT, five turnovers
- John Butler Jr: 14 points, eight rebounds, 4/7 FG, 4/6 3PT, 32 minutes
Wisconsin wrapped up their West Coast trip with another win, this time against Rip City, keeping the door for playoffs just ajar. Another solid game from Stephen Thompson, although the efficiency isn’t amazing. You’d say the same for James Akinjo; those TOs are starting to rise lately. Finally, this game wasn’t broadcasted on YouTube, so I couldn’t watch the intricate details, but John Butler Jr. going 4/6 from three in 32 minutes is intriguing for his potential as a three-and-D archetype. If I had been able to watch the game, I would’ve liked to see what he looked like on defence.
The Herd are currently 9th in the Eastern Conference with a 14-13 record.