Sebeka capitalized on 15 trips to the free throw line in the second half to rally for a 61-55 win over the Park Rapids boys basketball team Tuesday night at the Area High School gym.
Park Rapids claimed a 33-21 halftime lead behind three 3-pointers by Gabe Bagstad, four baskets by Marque Cook, a pair of 3-pointers by Tristin Persons, a 3-pointer by Jake Dickinson and a jumper by Jason Haas.
Persons opened the second half by turning a steal into a layup to give the Panthers a 35-21 lead with 17:44 to play before Sebeka rallied.
Two baskets by James Clark and a three-point play by Caleb Puttonen sparked a 14-1 run as the Trojans cut the gap to 36-35 with 14:01 to play.
Bagstad hit another 3-pointer to make it 39-35 with 13:08 left before a layup by Mason Dailey and a basket off a rebound by Colt Hansen gave Sebeka a 42-41 lead with 10:32 to go.
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Persons hit a 3-pointer and a jumper and Bagstad connected on another 3-pointer as the game was tied 51-51 with 3:29 to go, but the Trojans used layups by Jack Lillquist and Hansen and six free throws down the stretch to pull off the win.
Lillquist scored 17 points, Clark had 14 points and Meech finished with 10 points to lead the Trojans, who improved to 9-8 on the season by making 20 of 29 free throws in the second half.
Bagstad hit five 3-pointers and led the way with 17 points while Persons added 13 points, six rebounds and two steals. Haas also hit double figures with 10 points and added three assists while Cook had 10 points and nine rebounds. Dickinson finished with seven rebounds as the Panthers fell to 3-16 on the season with their 11th loss in a row.
SEBEKA: Clark 5 4-8 14, Lillquist 5 7-10 17, Hansen 3 0-1 6, Dailey 1 5-6 7, Hannu 1 2-4 4, Meech 2 4-4 10, Puttonen 1 1-1 3. Totals: 18 (FG), 23 for 34 (FT).
PARK RAPIDS: Kosel 0 0-0 0, Haas 1 8-9 10, Bagstad 6 0-0 17, Dickinson 1 0-0 3, Persons 5 0-2 13, Cook 4 2-5 10, Hill 1 0-2 2, Jewison 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 for 56 (FG), 10 for 19 (FT).
Halftime: Park Rapids 33, Sebeka 21. Three-pointers: Meech 2, Bagstad 5, Dickinson 1, Persons 3. Team fouls: Sebeka 19, Park Rapids 27. Fouled out: Haas, Persons, Jewison. Rebounds: Park Rapids 34 (Cook 9, Dickinson 7, Persons 6, Bagstad 5, Haas 3, Hill 2, Jewison 2). Assists: Park Rapids 11 (Haas 3, Dickinson 2, Persons 2, Jewison 2, Bagstad 1, Cook 1). Steals: Park Rapids 3 (Persons 2, Cook 1). Turnovers: Park Rapids 17.
