Relentless defensive pressure helped the Park Rapids boys basketball team open the season with a 71-52 win at Bagley Monday night.
The Panthers forced 35 turnovers and broke a school record with 29 steals to spark the win in this battle of Section 8AA teams.
Grant Dierkhising scored 14 points in the first half as the Panthers led 33-30. Cody Boterman added three baskets off the bench.
Nine different players scored in the second half as Park Rapids pulled away. Dierkhising and Tom Juberian combined for 16 points after the break to lead the way.
Dierkhising led the Panthers with 23 points and eight steals. Juberian added 11 points and six assists and Eli Donatelle had six assists and five rebounds. Dylan Sievers had eight rebounds and Kevin Vaadeland had five rebounds and five steals for the Panthers, who shot 50 percent from the field (29 for 58) to offset a 12-for-26 effort at the free-throw line.
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"We tried to make it an up-and-down running game. We rotated nine guys and we were able to convert a lot of steals into easy baskets," said Park Rapids head coach Joe Morgan. "We put a lot of defensive pressure on them and wore them out."
Park Rapids swept all three games as the C squad won 40-34 and the B squad won 42-33.
The Panthers opened Mid-State Conference play at Staples-Motley Thursday night.
PARK RAPIDS: Juberian 5 1-5 11, Dierkhising 9 4-4 23, Larson 1 0-2 2, Jorgenson 1 1-4 3, Vaadeland 2 2-3 6, Boterman 3 0-0 6, Donatelle 0 1-4 1, Walsh 3 0-0 6, Domino 1 0-0 2, Sievers 3 3-4 9, Matheny 1 0-0 2. Totals: 29 of 58 (FG), 12 of 26 (FT).
BAGLEY: Fontaine 3 2-4 9, Lewis 1 0-0 2, Johnson 0 1-2 1, Anderson 0 0-1 0, Beck 1 3-4 6, Lillegard 1 3-6 6, Nelson 1 0-0 2, Klema 5 0-0 10, Tronnes 5 6-6 16. Totals: 17 of 46 (FG), 15 of 23 (FT).
Halftime: Park Rapids 33, Bagley 30. Three-point field goals: Dierkhising 1, Fontaine 1, Beck 1, Lillegard 1. Total fouls: Park Rapids 23, Bagley 22. Fouled out: Boterman, Anderson. Rebounds: Park Rapids 32 (Sievers 8, Donatelle 5, Vaade-land 5, Dierkhising 4, Jorgenson 4, Larson 2, Boterman 1, Juberian 1, Matheny 1, Walsh 1). Assists: Park Rapids 21 (Donatelle 6, Juberian 6, Dierkhising 3, Vaadeland 2, Boterman 1, Larson 1, Sievers 1, Walsh 1). Steals: Park Rapids 29 (Dierkhising 8, Vaadeland 5, Juberian 4, Sievers 3, Walsh 3, Boterman 2, Larson 2, Donatelle 1, Jorgenson 1). Blocked shots: Park Rapids 2 (Juberian 1, Vaadeland 1). Turnovers: Park Rapids 18, Bagley 35.
