Mertens and Schulte Selected for NEC All-Conference Team

Bulldogs Garrett Mertens and Joe Schulte, both seniors at MHS, were named to the 2024 NEC All-Conference basketball second team. It is the second consecutive year that Mertens and Schulte appeared on the list.

Logan Diede, head coach for Milbank, commented, “Really proud of Joe and Garrett for being named to the all-conference team this year. Very well deserved. They’ve both been incredible leaders for us and are guys that we’ve been able to rely on so many times – particularly in big games. We really have a lot of good players in the NEC right now, so it’s difficult to find your way onto one of the three teams.”

Mertens cracked the list by accruing 16.6 points per game along with 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and seven blocks. He finished the season with an overall shooting average of 43.6 percent, including 28.6 from beyond the arc. He also made 60.7 percent from the free-throw line.

Schulte recorded an average of 14.7 points per game and 7.8 rebounds. He added 1.7 assists and six blocks. Overall, he shot 55.50 percent from the floor and 31.40 from three. At the line, he knocked down just shy of 76 percent.

Easton Neuendorf of Hamlin was selected as the 2024 NEC Player of the Year. He averaged 15.1 points per game and 3.8 rebounds. He added 7.1 assists, but a negligible number of blocks. Overall, he made 51.4 percent of his shots and 34.60 from three. Neuendorf hit 81.8 percent from the stripe. Carvin Fish of Tiospa Zina finished the season with the highest numbers of anyone on the list. Fish collected an average of 22 points per game and 12 rebounds. He claimed 54 percent of his shots from the floor and 82 percent from the free throw line.