A 16-0 run to end the first half sparked the Park Rapids boys basketball team to a 54-50 win over Pine River-Backus Monday night at the Area High School gym.
The Panthers trailed 21-11 with 7:31 to play in the first half before scoring 18 unanswered points.
Two free throws by Dylan Walsh with 5:45 remaining started the run. After a layup by Walsh, Kevin Vaadeland scored inside, converted a three-point play and hit a short jumper to give the Panthers a 22-21 lead with 2:14 remaining in the first half. That was Park Rapids' first lead since Dillon Theis converted a three-point play and Vaadeland scored off a rebound to open the game.
A jumper by Paul Dirks and another layup by Vaadeland gave the Panthers a 27-21 lead at the break.
Theis opened the second half with a jumper to cap off the Panthers' 18-0 run. Vaadeland scored off a rebound, Theis and Dirks hit jumpers, Mitch Long scored inside, and Walsh and Jacob Swenson hit jumpers to give Park Rapids its biggest lead of the game at 41-28 with 9:19 to play.
ADVERTISEMENT
A layup and two free throws by Long and two layups by Vaadeland kept the Panthers in front 50-39 with 2:29 to play.
Pine River-Backus made a late rally as a layup by Ben Kline, two free throws by Glen Abbott, a basket off a rebound by Jordan Ackerman and a 3-pointer by Kline cut the deficit to 53-50 with 21 seconds to go. The Panthers missed six free throws during that stretch.
A free throw by Walsh with :04 remaining sealed the win as the Panthers improved to 3-2 on the season.
Vaadeland finished with 18 points and Walsh added 11 points for the Panthers.
Ackerman (14), Dylan Rice (11) and Kline (10) scored in double figures for the Tigers, who fell to 0-6 on the season.
The Panthers will host their annual holiday tournament Monday and Tuesday at the Area High School gym. On Monday, International Falls plays East Grand Forks at 3:30 p.m. and Park Rapids plays Nevis at 7 p.m. The third-place game will be played Tuesday at 5:15 followed by the championship game at 7.
In the B squad tournament, International Falls plays East Grand Forks at 2 p.m. and Park Rapids plays Nevis at 5:15 on Monday. The third-place game will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. followed by the championship game at 3:30.
PINE RIVER-BACKUS: B. Kline 4 0-0 10, Rice 4 3-4 11, Baker 1 0-0 2, Abbott 2 3-4 7, Ackerman 5 4-6 14, Hamilton 1 3-4 5, M. Kline 0 1-2 1, Farmer 0 0-2 0. Totals: 17 (FG), 14 for 22 (FT).
ADVERTISEMENT
PARK RAPIDS: D. Theis 3 1-2 7, Long 2 3-6 7, Dirks 2 1-4 5, Walsh 3 5-8 11, Vaadeland 8 2-6 18, Swenson 2 0-0 4, Matheny 1 0-0 2. Totals: 21 (FG), 12 for 26 (FT).
Halftime: Park Rapids 27, PR-B 21. Three-point field goals: B. Kline 2.
