Sidney prepares for a challenging weekend

With three games in as many days coming up against three strong and unique opponents, Sidney Red Raiders boys basketball head coach Erik Kohl faces an interesting challenge. How will he prepare his team to face one of the best players in the state and then be ready to face two dangerous district opponents in the days to follow?

The Raiders long weekend begins on Thursday when Mike Daum leads the undefeated Kimball Longhorns (6-0) into Cabela's Athletic Facility. Already committed to Division I South Dakota State, Daum is a 6-10 center who can effectively play any position on the court.

If facing one of the state's premeir players is not enough of a challenge, Sidney then has to be ready 24 hours later to host district leading Gering (9-2, 2-0) for the first time this season. On Saturday another tough challenge awaits as the Raiders will make the long journey to McCook (4-4, 0-1) to battle another District B6 foe for the first time.

"It's a very unique situation and not one I've had to face very often in my coaching career," said Kohl after practice on Monday. "We have to prepare for all of these teams in the limited time we have. That goes against the normal coaching philosophy, where you just focus on the the team in front of you."

Kohl likes the idea that Kimball is the the first of the three obstacles, since his team is not likely to look past the challenge of facing Daum and the Longhorns. Daum comes into Thursday's contest averaging more than 22 points per game. He is not only a force posting up, but he's an outside shooter, as well. He leads Kimball in three-point shooting. Fouling him consistently is not a useful option as he has made 19 of 22 free throws this season.

"He's a do it all kind of a player. He'll shoot NBA threes, he'll post up, he'll shoot Dirk Nowitzki type one-foot shots - I mean it sounds crazy but he makes them," Kohl said. "He's a very unique player. Also he's so tall that even when you have him boxed out he doesn't have to go over the back. He just reaches over and tips it to himself and goes back up to shoot."

In addition to his offensive talents, Daum averages more than 10 rebounds, three steals and four blocks per game.

The collection of Daum's talents are well known to many of the Raiders, as they have grown up playing with and against him. Sidney's top gun, Paxton Ehler, was a teammate of Daum's on an AAU team in Ft. Collins, Colo. last summer.

"He'll do it all for them," said Ehler. "I would guard him sometimes in practice and I could stay with him coming down the floor, but once he gets inside, forget it. That's a problem. That's a big problem."

While Ehler's time with Daum gives him additional insight on how his team might defend his good friend, it works both ways. The Longhorns know how dangerous a weapon Ehler is also.

"Me playing with (Ehler) is also an advantage for us. We know what to expect," Daum said.

Bottom line for how to defend Daum said Kohl is to slow him down. Last season Sidney eventually wore out Kimball in the second half. Though the Raiders trailed 22-19 at the half, they exploded for 44 points in the second half to win 63-44 over the District C2 Longhorns. Daum accounted for 24 of Kimball's 44 points.

"We're not going to completely stop him, nobody is. We just have to contain him. Keep him under his average," Kohl said.

While the Raiders prepare for the Longhorns they can't only focus on Daum. Jake Reader, a 6-2 senior, who averages 15 points per game. is also a dangerous weapon.

"He's another good player. He a very strong kid who reminds me a little of a (Jake) Sager type," said Kohl. "It's going to be fun. We've got one of the elite players in the state coming in and another one that's an above average player."

While Daum recognizes teams will focus primarily on him, he also has confidence in the team surrounding him.

"I feel like teams know about me," Daum said. "But it's hard for them to key on me with Jake Reader, Colton Stull and Michael Ferguson."

As for preparing his team for the trifecta of challenges ahead, Kohl is going against the grain by focusing on three different teams during this week of practice. Monday's practice opened with a film session on Kimball. Tuesday will include a film session on Gering and Wednesday McCook will fill the screen.

After the film break down on Monday, Kohl says the team will go through a normal practice for about two-thirds of the session and then focus on Kimball. Tuesday Gering will occupy the final third of practice and Wednesday McCook will be the focus.

The Wednesday drill will be the most bizarre, said Kohl, since the normal pre-game practice would focus only on the one team. Despite the necessary change in routine the coach doesn't think his team will have trouble foucsing on the challenge directly in front of them.

Ehler agrees.

"That's not going to be a problem for us," Ehler said. "We'll take it one game at a time and be foucused on a day-to-day basis. We'll worry about Kimball first and when the time comes we'll be ready to think about Gering."

Despite their talent level, facing a Class B team is always a serious challenge to a group from C2. But Daum doesn't see such a challenge as adding more pressure to the Longhorns.

"It makes us a little looser. It gives us confidence - we have nothing to lose," Daum said.

Ehler doesn't seem to be feeling the pressure either. If having to challenge three tough teams in three nights may be a concern to some, the Sidney guard doesn't think so.

"The more basketball the better," Ehler said.

Dave Faries contributed to this report.