Photo by Lee Epps
The score was tied at halftime, the end of regulation and the end of three overtimes before the state-ranked No. 17 Rushford-Peterson boys finally prevailed in four overtimes over visiting, state-ranked No. 3 Spring Grove, 82-79. In decades of record-keeping, the Lions had never before played a four-overtime game.
Jaxon Strinmoen, who scored his 1,000th career point in the third OT, finished with 30 points, Ben Udstuen had a career-high 25 points and Jacob Olerud 19. Udstuen grabbed 9 rebounds while Olerud and Strinmoen both secured 7 caroms. Ethan Crouch had 5 points and a career-high 6 assists. Unfortunately, the Lions were without Elijah Solum, who was resting a previous injury to be ready for the upcoming postseason playoffs.
For R-P (17-5), Dawson Bunke had 24 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. Freshman Cayden Lea supplied 17 points, 6 boards and 5 assists. Carter Johnson put in 13 points and sophomore William LaFleur 11.
Following a 15-15, first-half stalemate, the offenses each tallied 43 points after halftime – before overtime was necessary. Spring Grove hit four 3-pointers in the final three minutes of regulation to trim an 11-point deficit down to four. With 1.9 seconds remaining, Udstuen was fouled during a 3-point attempt. He netted the first two free throws and then intentionally missed the third and Strinmoen scored with the rebound. The Lions had never led since 15-13 in the first half, but now it was on to overtime at 58-58.
Spring Grove (18-3) had the last possession in three of the four overtimes, but missed four final shots. In the first overtime, it was two Lion baskets and four Trojan Free throws. Each team added a field goal and two free throws in the second overtime. The Lions were foiled by the shot clock in the final four seconds (66-66).
The Lions led 72-67 in the third OT, fell behind 73-72 after two Trojan treys and regained the lead (74-73) with an Udstuen basket. R-P Caden Johnson hit one of two free throws with 13 seconds remaining to tie it. Bunke blocked Grove’s final shot, and it was on to a fourth extra period.
SG led 79-76, but R-P scored the game’s final four points from the free throw line. The Lions missed two free throws and their final five shots from the field, including a last-chance 3-point shot with 5.8 seconds to play.
Spring Grove outscored the Trojans from the field, 70-65, but R-P had an eight-point advantage at the foul line, sinking 17 of 20 free throws (85%) to the Lions’ 9 for 14 (64%). Grove outscored the home team in the paint, 37-21, but the Trojans netted 15 treys (38%, 15-40) to 12 for the Lions (29%, 12 for 41).
Rushford-Peterson has won eight of the last nine games against Spring Grove and lead all-time 48 wins to 11. It was a four-game sweep this year with the Trojans winning the B-team game (65-25), the eighth grade game (55-30) and the seventh grade game (54-31).
——————————-
SG 79, RP 82 (4 OT)
SCORE by HALVES
SG 15+43+4+4+8+4=79
RP 15+43+4+4+8+7=82
——————————
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 41% (29-71), RP 39% (25-64)
2-pt FG: SG 57% (17-30), RP 42% (10-24)
3-pt FG: SG 29% (12-41), RP 38% (15-40)
Free throws: SG 64% (9-14), RP 85% (17-20)
Rebounds: SG 35, RP 38
Turnovers: SG 15, RP 20
2nd Chance pts: SG 12, RP 12
Fast break pts: SG 4, RP 6
Pts. in paint: SG 37, RP 21
Greatest lead: SG 5, RP 11
Fouls: SG 15, RP 12
SG INDIVIDUALS: * starter. P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number
*Ben Udstuen 25P, 9R, 2A, 2S, 1B
*Isaac Nerstad 3P, 1R, 2A
Zach Brumm 2P, 5R, 2A, 1S
*Ethan Crouch 5R, 6A, 1S, 4B
*Jacob Olerud 19P, 7R, 6A, 1S
Bryce Berns 1R, 3A
*Jaxon Strinmoen 30P, 7R, 1A, 8S, 2B
Elijah Solum – out injury
———————————————————-
Spring Grove Varsity Boys (18-3, 15-2 SEC)
W at Schaeffer Academy 68-36
W at La Crescent-Hokah 60-57
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 54-17
W vs. Glenville-Emmons 66-27
W vs. Lanesboro 64-30
W at Lyle/Pacelli 59-38
L vs. Southland 49-58
W vs. Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 64-58
W at Grand Meadow 82-8
01/12 Mabel-Canton, ppd
W at Houston 82-34
W at Kingsland 60-40
W at Lanesboro 54-30
W vs. Kingsland 52-39
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 67-44
W at Fillmore Central 51-42
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 74-34
W at Glenville-Emmons 82-40
W vs. Lyle/Pacelli 79-26
W vs. Mabel-Canton 80-38
L at Southland 50-52
L at Rushford-Peterson 79-82 (4 OT)
——————————–
Spring Grove B-team (13-4)
W at La Crescent-Hokah 41-32
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 66-16
W vs. Lanesboro 53-24
W at Lyle/Pacelli 55-33
L vs. Southland 40-67
L vs. Cannon Falls 44-55
W at Grand Meadow 83-15
W at Houston 75-12
W at Kingsland 57-32
W at Lanesboro 33-27
W vs. Kingsland 43-26
W at Fillmore Central 69-55
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 56-19
W vs. Lyle/Pacelli 75-21
W vs. Mabel-Canton 49-32
L at Southland 26-43
L at Rushford-Peterson 25-65
———————————–
Spring Grove 8th Grade (11-9)
W at Schaeffer Academy 29-10
W at La Crescent 42-33
L vs. Caledonia 24-39
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 59-31
L vs. Lanesboro 32-43
W vs. Southland 33-31
L vs. Mabel-Canton 24-25
W vs. Houston 40-37
W vs. Kingsland 34-13
L vs. Lanesboro 35-47
W vs. Grand Meadow 52-10
W vs. Kingsland 47-9
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 35-23
L vs. Fillmore Central 45-55
L vs. Chatfield
L vs. Houston
W vs. Lewiston-Altura
L vs. Caledonia 46-48
W vs. Southland 37-33
L at Rushford-Peterson 30-55
———————————-
Spring Grove 7th Grade (10-10)
L at La Crescent-Hokah 32-34 (OT)
L vs. Caledonia 38-39
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 49-26
L vs. Lanesboro 38-65
L vs. Southland 20-21
W vs. Mabel-Canton
W vs. Houston 56-29
W vs. Kingsland 44-34
L vs. Lanesboro 41-46
W vs. Grand Meadow 40-19
L vs. Kingsland
W vs. Fillmore Central 8-16
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 51-9
W vs. Grand Meadow 32-14
W vs. Chatfield 41-31
L vs. Dover-Eyota 33-41
W vs. Houston 46-44 OT
L vs. Caledonia 26-43
L vs. Southland 36-40
L at Rushford-Peterson 31-54
Leave a Reply