Third quarter explosion sends Cards past Rockets

On Monday, Dec. 13, the Carrington Cardinals opened their season with a 74-56 victory over the New Rockford-Sheyenne Rockets.

For the Cards, Monday's game showed plenty of promise for the season ahead, as four of their five starters scored double-digit points for the team.

The Rockets, meanwhile, were hoping to get their year back on track after dropping their season and home opener to Thompson just days earlier. Instead, they left the court Monday with another loss and with hopes of their first win pinned on the CNDC Tournament in Rugby.

Monday's game started neck-and-neck between the two squads, before an excellent second quarter for NR-S saw them open a 37-26 halftime lead.

The Rockets' DJ Mudgett and Trevor Waldo were particularly strong in the early going, with six second-quarter points each.

On defense, though, it was Easton Benz who took charge, literally.

Benz didn't score a single point in the first half, but managed to stymie Carrington by stepping in front of would-be Cardinal shooters and eliciting multiple charge calls from the refs.

Carrington, however, came back with a vengeance in the third quarter, scoring 29 points in those eight minutes alone.

Their sudden scoring onslaught was led by sophomore Josh Bickett, who caught fire from beyond the arc and propelled his team to a 55-47 lead entering quarter number four.

The Rockets' scoring pace continued to slow as the game dragged on, and with NR-S only scoring nine points in the fourth quarter, Carrington were able to widen their gap and turn what was a competitive game into a blowout.

Speaking of blowouts, the junior varsity and c-squad games last Monday couldn't have gone any differently for the Rockets and Cardinals. The C-squad game ended 62-15, while the junior varsity match up ended 81-31, both in the Rockets' favor.

The Cardinals played their home opener against Benson County on Saturday, Dec. 17. That game will be covered in the next edition of the Independent.

Nonregion Boys' Basketball

Carrington 74, NR-S 56

at New Rockford

Cgtn. 17 9 29 19 74

NR-S 17 20 10 9 56

Carrington: Josh Bickett 24, Hudson Schmitz 18, Jack Erickson 15, Grady Shipman 13, Jack Paulson 4. Totals: 27 FG, 14-23 FT, 15 fouls. Three-pointers: Bickett 4, Schmitz 2. Technical foul: Shipman.

NR-S: Bennett Meier 13, DJ Mudgett 11, Lucas Yri 11, Porter Granger 7, Trevor Waldo 6, Easton Simon 5, Easton Benz 3. Totals: 19 FG, 12-15 FT, 18 fouls. Three-pointers: Yri 3, Granger, Waldo, Simon.

Carrington Additional Stats

Rebounds: Schmitz 10, Shipman 9, Erickson and Paulson 5, Bickett 3, McCoy Beckley and Tate Wolsky 1.

Assists: Schmitz 6, Erickson 5, Bickett 3, Paulson 2.

Steals: Bickett 6, Shipman 4, Erickson and Schmitz 1.

Blocks: Shipman 3, Beckley and Erickson 1.

NR-S Additional Stats

Rebounds: Mudgett 7, Granger, Waldo and Yri 5, Meier 4, Benz and Simon 1.

Assists: Yri 3, Meier 2, Granger and Waldo 1.

Steals: Yri 4, Granger and Simon 1.

Blocks: Waldo 2, Meier 1.