Flaherty, Birdsell named All-NCC basketball
Humboldt senior Chase Flaherty was a second-team all-conference pick in the NCC. Independent photos by Phil Monson.
Humboldt's Cade Birdsell was a third-team all-conference pick in the NCC. Independent photo.
Humboldt High junior Chase Flaherty, one of the top defenders in the North Central Conference this past season, was named second-team all-conference by the NCC coaches.
In addition, Wildcat junior guard Cade Birdsell was selected third-team. Their selections were announced recently.
Flaherty and Birdsell helped the Wildcat boys’ basketball team compile a 13-10 overall record, 8-6 and third in the league standings.
Flaherty was runner-up in the NCC in steals per game at 2.5. Overall, on the season Flaherty led Humboldt in scoring at 11.36 points per game. He shot 42% from the field in hitting 89 of 213 attempts.
He shot 33.3% from 3-point range, making 48 of 144. From the foul line he shot 63.2% in making 24 of 38 attempts. Flaherty also averaged 3.9 rebounds and 2 assists per game.
Birdsell averaged 10.4 points per game this past season and was the top 3-point field goal shooter on the team in hitting 54 of 137 for 39.4%. Birdsell made 74 of 190 field attempts and was a 61% free throw shooter, making 26 of 43. Birdsell also averaged 2.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
Conference co-champions Fort Dodge St. Edmond and Clear Lake topped the NCC standings with 13-1 records. St. Edmond went on to win the Class 1A state championship last week and finished with an overall record of 25-2. Clear Lake finished 20-3 overall.
Humboldt and Algona were tied at 8-6 in the NCC with Clarion-Goldfield-Dows next at 7-7 and Hampton-Dumont-CAL 6-8. Webster City and Iowa Falls-Alden round out the NCC standings at 1-13.
Humboldt, coached by activities director Ryan O’Hern, averaged 52.2 points per game in NCC action and allowed 51 points per game. The Wildcats were sixth in total field goal shooting at 38.9% and fourth in 3-point field goal shooting at 29.4%.
Jackson Flaherty was sixth in the league in assists at 3.1 per game. Wildcat senior Valley Davis was fifth in blocked shots with on per game. Humboldt junior Chase Hansen was ninth in the NCC in rebounding at 5.4 per game.
