The Official Newspaper for Foster County
The Official Newspaper for Foster County
Unlike the night before where the New Rockford-Sheyenne girls took down the Griggs-Midkota Lady Titans, 75-29, the matchup of the NR-S boys' basketball team and the Griggs-Midkota boys' basketball team was more of a nailbiter.
Like a flash of lightning, they were off, as a three-pointer was swished by Brady Haugen for the Titans. Not even seconds later, another three swished, this time by Griggs-Midkota senior, Benjamin Edland.
The Titans scored many points from beyond the arc throughout the game.
As for the Rockets, many points were scored underneath the basket, mainly by NR-S sophomore, Bennett Meier.
With Meier's older brother Haydon out due to a leg injury that occurred during football season, Bennett had to step up and take Haydon's place on the court. And just within these first few games, the younger Meier has made his presence known on the court. Just in the first quarter, he scored eight points for the Rockets.
The Titans led the Rockets, 12-9, at the end of the first quarter.
Griggs/Midkota capitalized on points in the second quarter. Haugen was found behind the arc, yet again, swishing two more three-pointers. Also adding threes to the stats, Wyatt Spickler and Carter Spitzer each swished one from behind the arc. These boys' shots were on, and they weren't shutting down anytime soon.
Meier drove to the basket to score a field goal, which led to a foul where he swished a free-throw. But the Rockets' 10 points in the second quarter were no match for the Titans' 18. At the half, the Rockets were down 19-30.
Would the Rockets come back fighting after halftime, or would the Titans continue to dominate the court?
NR-S junior, Lucas Yri, was a key player for the Rockets in the third quarter. If he wasn't found stealing the ball from the hands of his opponent, he was found shooting baskets. Yri scored seven of the 17 points scored by the Rockets in the third quarter.
The Titans scored their seventh 3-pointer in the third quarter by Griggs-Midkota senior Eli Larson. The Titans were only able to score 13 points in the third, which meant the Rockets were only down by seven points.
The final quarter. Who will win?
Meier puts up two, adding four points to the Rockets' score, and then a three-pointer was secured by NR-S freshman, Easton Simon.
But a technical foul by Porter Granger would send Spitzer to the line to shoot for two free-throws.
46-48, Rockets possession. A drive to the basket by Meier, the shot goes up but falls short. Only five seconds left on the clock, Titans possession. Rockets' fans could hear NR-S head coach Tyler Cook yelling "Deny! Deny! Deny!"
With a swat to the ball by Trevor Waldo, the Rockets had one last chance to swipe the ball and score a shot with only a second left on the clock.
But with a successful pass to Haugen, the Titans held off the Rockets, taking the 48-46 win.
Scoring in double digits for the Titans were Larson with 15 and Haugen with 13.
Lead scorer for the Rockets was Meier with 15.
The Rockets' B-squad, C-squad and seventh grade teams were all victorious over the Titans. The eighth grade team, however, fell two points short to the Titans.
The Rockets will host the Central Cass Squirrels (A,B,C) on Tuesday, Dec. 27 starting at 12 p.m. The Titans will travel to Oakes on Jan. 3 to take on the Tornadoes (A,B,C) starting at 4:30 p.m.
Nonregion Boys' Basketball
Griggs/Midkota 48, NR-S 46
at Glenfield
NR-S 9 10 17 10 46
G-M 12 18 13 5 48
Griggs/Midkota: Eli Larson 15, Brady Haugen 13, Wyatt Spickler 7, Carter Spitzer 4, James Woodstead 4, Ben Edland 3, Kyle Johnson 2. Totals: 17 FG, 7-8 FT, 17 fouls. Three-pointers: Haugen 3, Larson, Spickler, Spitzer, Edland.
NR-S: Bennett Meier 15, Easton Simon 9, Lucas Yri 9, DJ Mudgett 7, Trevor Waldo 6. Totals: 18 FG, 9-18 FT, 14 fouls. Three-pointer: Simon. Technical foul: Porter Granger.
