Joseph Stokman surpassed 1,000 career points in helping Crosby-Ironton pull away in the second half in a 64-34 Mid-State Conference victory over the Park Rapids boys basketball team in the regular-season finale March 2 at the Area High School gym.
The Rangers jumped out to a 7-0 lead before a jumper and a layup by Gabe Bagstad and two 3-pointers, a layup and a jumper by Tristin Persons gave Park Rapids a 16-15 advantage with 4:18 to play in the first half.
C-I took the lead for good by closing the half with a 10-0 run as Johnathan Jacobson's basket off a rebound, Sam Jordan's layup and Cayden Turk's 3-pointer produced a 25-16 lead.
Two layups and a 3-pointer by Bagstad and a layup by Kolby Brandt kept the Panthers within 37-25 with 10:12 to play before C-I responded with a 12-0 run to take charge. Stokman reached 1,000 career points on a layup with 6:30 to play to give the Rangers a 49-25 lead.
Avery Wolff's layup ended that run while a 3-pointer by Persons and two baskets off rebounds by Shawn Ohm concluded the scoring for the Panthers.
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Persons (15) and Bagstad (11) scored in double figures for the Panthers. Brandt had eight rebounds and Jake Reish grabbed six rebounds as Park Rapids fell to 3-7 in the conference and 8-16 overall. The Panthers tied Aitkin for fourth place in the conference standings.
Jordan (13), Stokman (12) and Jacobson (10) led a balanced offensive attack for the Rangers, who improved to 8-2 to share the conference title with Pequot Lakes and Detroit Lakes. C-I, which defeated the Panthers 49-38 on Jan. 8, forced 23 turnovers in improving to 22-4 overall.
CROSBY-IRONTON: Jordan 6 1-3 13, Stokman 2 8-8 12, Ca. Turk 3 0-0 9, Jacobson 3 3-4 10, Skeim 1 5-5 7, Mitchell 2 0-0 4, Kramer 1 0-1 2, Co. Turk 1 1-1 3, Wassen 1 0-0 2, Stangel 1 0-0 2. Totals: 21 (FG), 18 for 22 (FT).
PARK RAPIDS: Reish 0 0-0 0, Clark 0 0-0 0, Renneberg 0 0-0 0, Garwood 0 0-0 0, Karger 0 0-0 0, Hagen 0 0-0 0, H. Brandt 0 0-0 0, Bagstad 5 0-2 11, Persons 6 0-0 15, Michaelson 0 0-0 0, K. Brandt 1 0-0 2, Ohm 2 0-0 4, Walsh 0 0-0 0, Harmon 0 0-0 0, Wolff 1 0-1 2. Totals: 15 for 53 (FG), 0 for 3 (FT).
Halftime: C-I 25, Park Rapids 16. Three-pointers: Ca. Turk 3, Jacobson 1, Bagstad 1, Persons 3. Team fouls: C-I 11, Park Rapids 17. Rebounds: Park Rapids 32 (K. Brandt 8, Reish 6, Bagstad 4, Michaelson 4, Ohm 4, Persons 3, Renneberg 2, Wolff 1). Assists: Park Rapids 2 (Persons 1, Michaelson 1). Blocked shots: Park Rapids 2 (Renneberg 2). Turnovers: Park Rapids 23.
