Cass Lake made 13 3-pointers, including three during a 13-2 run early in the second half, to spark an 83-46 victory over the Menahga boys basketball team in the championship game of the Park Rapids Holiday Tournament on Dec. 28.
A 3-pointer by Damon Howard and a layup by Luke Wurdock pulled Menahga to within 43-30 with 14:26 to play before 3-pointers by Ethan Brown, Terick Frazer and Noah DeLapaz pushed Cass Lake's lead to 56-32 with 11:22 remaining. A pair of 3-pointers and a pair of three-point plays by Jarell Jacobs and a 3-pointer by Jordan Newago helped the Panthers close the game with a 27-12 run.
Canton Matson and Kirby Hrdlicka scored off rebounds and Howard hit a 3-pointer as the Braves tied the game at 8-8 at the 14:15 mark of the first half. Layups by Hrdlicka and Charlie Steidler-Thompson kept Menahga within 17-14 at the 9:03 mark before back-to-back 3-pointers by DeLapaz and Arnold Kingbird pushed the Panthers' lead to 23-14. Steidler-Thompson countered with a 3-pointer, but 3-pointers by DeLapaz and Jacobs gave Cass Lake a 41-24 halftime advantage.
DeLapaz hit five 3-pointers and finished with 17 points while Jacobs (16), Frazer (14) and Kingbird (11) also hit double figures as Cass Lake improved to 8-2.
Howard scored 14 points as the Braves fell to 3-6.
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MENAHGA: D. Howard 2 8-8 14, Pietila 0 1-4 1, L. Wurdock 2 4-6 8, Hrdlicka 3 1-4 7, Matson 2 0-0 5, Steidler-Thompson 2 0-1 5, Aho 1 1-3 3, J. Howard 1 1-2 3. Totals: 13 (FG), 16 for 28 (FT).
CASS LAKE: Frazer 5 3-5 14, DeLapaz 5 2-2 17, J. Brown 3 0-0 6, Kingbird 4 0-0 11, Jones 2 0-0 4, E. Brown 2 2-2 7, Jacobs 6 2-2 16, Newago 3 1-3 8, Reyes 0 0-1 0. Totals: 30 (FG), 10 for 15 (FT).
Halftime: Cass Lake 41, Menahga 24. Three-pointers: D. Howard 2, Matson 1, Steidler-Thompson 1, Frazer 1, DeLapaz 5, Kingbird 3, E. Brown 1, Jacobs 2, Newago 1. Team fouls: Menahga 14, Cass Lake 18.
