Region resistance: Top-seeded LaMoure survives opening-day scare from Mustangs
Region tournament wins shouldn’t come easy, not even for the top teams in the state. LaMoure, unbeaten and ranked third in Class B, experienced that first-hand in the Region 3 opener Monday afternoon, but the tourney-tested Loboes (22-0) found a way.
Region tournament wins shouldn’t come easy, not even for the top teams in the state.
LaMoure, unbeaten and ranked third in Class B, experienced that first-hand in the Region 3 opener Monday afternoon, but the tourney-tested Loboes (22-0) found a way.
Jared Meiklejohn scored eight of his game-high 19 points in overtime as LaMoure survived a scrappy effort from South Border, 55-45.
Linton-Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock got a similar push from Pingree-Buchanan-Kensal, at least for a half, before the Lions pulled away for a 70-47 win. The Lions and Loboes will meet in semifinal No. 1 tonight at 6 p.m.
LaMoure 55, South Border 45, OT
It was an uncomfortable win to say the least for LaMoure, who trailed 35-30 going into the final quarter. The Mustangs had the ball last in regulation with a chance to potentially win it, but couldn’t get a shot off.
“You don’t ever expect it to be easy, not this time of year,” LaMoure coach Darren Thielges said. “South Border is very talented. They do a lot of good things. We knew it’d be a tough game and it was.”
The Mustangs had a shot to pull off the stunner.
After erasing a 5-point deficit (42-37) on a bucket by Adam Jacobson and three-pointer by Daniel Sayler to tie it with 50 seconds to go, South Border got the last possession of the game.
After Meiklejohn missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 6 seconds left, Sayler raced up court, but lost the ball on the drive as time expired.
Meiklejohn wasted no time putting the Loboes up in overtime. He canned a deep triple on their first possession and then 5 seconds later got a steal and drove the length of the floor before making a difficult left-handed lay-up to put the Rebels up for good at 47-42.
“We made some big plays late in the game. We were able to get some stops at some critical times and convert them,” Thielges said. “They weren’t easy plays, either. South Border they played tough. It seemed like we had to work for everything.”
The Loboes complicated matters themselves, missing 12 free throws, including four in the fourth quarter and five more in OT, but Brady and Tyler Thielges made four straight with less than a minute to go to stretch the lead out to 53-45.
“We made some mistakes, obviously missed some free throws. Those are things that can beat you, but we were able to overcome it,” Thielges said.
The late fourth-quarter rally by the Mustangs (11-12) was particularly impressive because it came without junior standout Michael Jacobson, who fouled out with 4 minutes and 30 seconds left in regulation. He still had 11 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, but was missed late.
Sayler and eighth-grader Hunter Pinke also had 11 points for the Mustangs, who figure to be a major factor next year in District 6 and Region 3.
Meanwhile, the Loboes survive and advance, withstanding a game effort from another opponent.
“We talk about having the target on our back and our kids understand that, but we have some weapons to use of our own,” Thielges said. “I guess the bottom line is we found a way, and get to come back (Tuesday).”
Linton-HMB 70, P-B-K 47
Pingree-Buchanan-Kensal came out firing from long range and was targeting an upset bid of its own in the second game.
The Rebels splashed in six three-pointers in the first half and led 30-29 at the break. But the bigger and deeper Lions quickly gained control in the third quarter and eventually pulled away, although the final score was not indicative of the competitiveness of the game.
“Duke (Larson) always does a good job with his team and they have a lot of shooters,” Linton-Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock coach Dan Carr said. “We played a lot better defense in the second half — and we had to.”
Nicholas Blaskowski splashed in three triples in the opening half, the third of which put the Rebels up, 27-23. Just a minute later Wyatt Guthmiller connected from deep to put them in front 30-25 with 90 seconds left in the first half.
The Lions scored the final four of the second quarter and then surged out of the gates to start the third.
Sophomore Brooks Flyberg connected on a deep three-pointer as the Lions scored the first 10 points of the second half for a 38-30 lead.
The Rebels got the lead back down to five (42-37) on a jumper from Shawn Baker, but the Lions scored 20 points in the first quarter and then 21 more in the fourth to pull away, outscoring P-B-K 41-17 in the second half.
“The key was how we played defensively and everything else came as a result of that,” said Carr. “You don’t want to be in a situation where you’re trading baskets. We started getting some stops.”
They also featured a balanced scoring attack with seven players scoring 5 points or more. Flyberg and 6-foot-5 senior Nathan Weiser had 13 points each. Justin Purintun totaled 12 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals.
Blaskowski finished with a game-high 24 points for the Rebels on an efficient 10-for-16 shooting outing for the sophomore lefty. Guthmiller added 10.
The Lions are right back where they always seem to be — knocking on the door of state.
“We’re where we want to be, but it’s going to be a tough one,” Carr said of tonight’s match-up with LaMoure. “Defense, rebounding, got to make some shots. … All those same things apply. We have to do them all because LaMoure is good.”
Region 3 Tournament
At Jamestown Civic Center
Game 1
LaMoure 55, South Border 45, OT
South Border 11 27 35 42 45
LaMoure 14 21 30 42 55
South Border — Daniel Sayler 11, Phillip Wanner 3, Adam Jacobson 4, Michael Jacobson 11, Mathew Kretschmar 3, Hunter Pinke 11, Carl Entzie 2. Totals: 17-52 FG, Three-pointers: 5-15 (Sayler 3, M.Jacobson, Kretschmar), 6-8 FT, 39 Rebounds (M.Jacobson 11), 15 Fouls (M.Jacobson 5), 6 Assists (A.Jacobson 2, M.Jacobson 2), 13 Turnovers, 7 Steals (M.Jacobson 4).
LaMoure — Jared Meiklejohn 19, Skylar Shockman 9, Kenny Hodem 1, Tyler Thielges 12, Brady Thielges 9, Tanner Carlson 5. Totals: 18-55 FG, Three-pointers: 5-15 (Meiklejohn 2, T.Thielges 2, Carlson), 14-26 FT, 41 Rebounds (Shockman 10), 9 Fouls, 10 Assists (B.Thielges 5), 8 Turnovers, 1 Blocked shots (Shockman), 6 Steals (Meiklejohn 2, B.Thielges 2).
Records: LaMoure 22-0; South Border 12-11.
Game 2
Linton-Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock 70, Pingree-Buchanan-Kensal 47
Pingree-Buchanan-Kensal 16 30 33 47
Linton-HMB 13 29 49 70
Pingree-Buchanan-Kensal — Cole Diede 4, Wyatt Guthmiller 10, Shawn Baker 4, Nicholas Blaskowski 24, J.R. Perleberg 5. Totals: 20-43 FG, Three-pointers: 7-19 (Blaskowski 4, Guthmiller 2, Perleberg), 0-0 FT, 30 Rebounds (Perleberg 8), 14 Fouls, 8 Assists (Diede 3 Baker 3), 18 Turnovers, 5 Steals (Diede 2).
Linton-Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock — Andrew Small 5, Tanner Purintun 12, Tyler Humann 6, Ryan Dralle 11, Brooks Flyberg 13, Cody Sehn 2, Nathan Weiser 13, Mason Ryckman 2, Ryan Schneider 6. Totals: 28-59 FG, Three-pointers: 4-11 (Flyberg 3, Small 1), 10-16 FT, 29 Rebounds (Purintun 5), 11 Fouls, 11 Assists (Purintun 4), 8 Turnovers, 12 Steals (Purintun 4).
Records: Linton-Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock 15-7; Pingree-Buchanan-Kensal 4-19.
Sun sports editor Dave Selvig can be reached by (701) 952-8460 or dselvig@jamestownsun.com
Tags: class b, sports, basketball
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