Cards put scare into Tommies; enter District 5 with confidence

Two programs fated to be part of the to-be-minted Region 2 of Division A next season got an early start on a new league rivalry Thursday night, February 16, in Thompson.

Carrington's final regular season game pitted the Cardinals against a perennially-talented Tommies program with all the tools to compete for this year's Class B Region 2 crown.

If not for a few hiccups, the Cards may have pulled off one of the team's bigger upsets in a few years, but witnessed the home squad make the plays late to take a 59-56 final score.

Coach Tim Ranum said that the Tommies presented a formidable challenge for his squad.

"They're a tough team to defend, with multiple 6'5" posts, two great shooters, and another 6'2" athlete, Jake Starcevic, who is one of the best playmakers in the state," said Ranum. "If we shoot better and make a few more layups, it's a game we could have won."

CHS came into the fourth quarter with a chance to emerge victorious, leading by a 47-42 score, before the Tommies outscored the Cards, 17-9, in the final eight minutes.

Thompson (12-6) needed all the three-point marksmanship that both Drew Overby and Brayden Wolfgram could provide. The shooting duo finished with mirror-image statistical lines including 17 points, five three-pointers and three assists apiece, and Starcevic had 13 points and six rebounds.

One of the tall towers, Karter Peterson, had seven points for THS, but his value was defensively with 14 rebounds and three blocks.

For the Cards, Josh Bickett rediscovered his shooting stroke with 14 points, including four treys, and added four assists.

Jack Erickson also had 14 points, Hudson Schmitz posted a 13-point, six-rebound outing, and Grady Shipman had 11 points, a team-high six steals, five rebounds (along with Erickson and Jack Paulson), and three assists.

Carrington faced seventh-seeded Oakes in the first round of the District 5 Tournament this past Saturday, February 25.

Because of the weather-related maneuvering of girls' Region 3 Tournament officials to get their games in the books as soon as possible even with delays, the start of the boys' tournament was pushed back one day.

"[This last game] provides us with some optimism that we're capable of being up there with some of the best teams in the state come tournament time," said Ranum. "Now, it's all about consistency, and that's what we hope to see at the district tournament."

Nondistrict Boys' Basketball

Thompson 59, Carrington 56

at Thompson

Cgtn. 17 13 17 9 56

Thom. 19 9 14 17 59

Carrington: Josh Bickett 14, Jack Erickson 14, Hudson Schmitz 13, Grady Shipman 11, McCoy Beckley 2, Jack Paulson 2. Totals: 19-51 FG, 13-20 FT, 14 fouls. Three-pointers: J. Bickett 4, Shipman.

Thompson: Drew Overby 17, Brayden Wolfgram 17, Jake Starcevic 13, Karter Peterson 7, Gavin Krogstad 5. Totals: 22-50 FG, 5-11 FT, 16 fouls. Three-pointers: Overby 5, Wolfgram 5. Fouled out: Krogstad.

Carrington Additional Stats

Rebounds: Schmitz 6, Erickson, Shipman and Paulson 5, Beckley 3, J. Bickett and Ryder Bickett 1.

Assists: J. Bickett 4, Shipman 3, Erickson and Schmitz 2, R. Bickett and Paulson 1.

Steals: Shipman 6, Paulson 2, Beckley and Erickson 1.

Blocks: Schmitz and Shipman 1.

Thompson Additional Stats

Rebounds: Peterson 14, Krogstad and Starcevic 6, Thomas Schumacher and Wolfgram 2, Overby 1.

Assists: Overby and Wolfgram 3, Starcevic 2, Krogstad and Peterson 1.

Steals: Schumacher and Starcevic 1.

Blocks: Peterson 3, Starcevic 1.