This game was very hard-fought and close all the way as Hatton-Northwood defeated the Rockets by a final score of 64-59 in non-district boys basketball action played at Northwood on Tuesday, Feb. 11. Hatton-Northwood is one of the top teams in the state and they are out of Region 2.
A bucket by Nathan Holwarth put the locals up 4-3 with 5:50 to go in the first. A trey by Kelby Azure put the Thunder up 14-7 with 1:50 left. A trey by Nick Presnell at the horn cut the lead to 18-14 after one. Hatton-Northwood led 23-16 late in the second quarter, but the locals went on an 8-2 run to close out the quarter on a trey by Evan Ulrich as time expired, and it was 25-24 at halftime in favor of the Thunder. A basket by Bo Belquist with 3:50 to go in the third gave the locals a 32-27 lead. Two free throws by Colton Konschak tied it up at 37-37 and that was the score after three quarters. Hatton-Northwood led 48-41 about midway through the fourth quarter. A trey by Ulrich cut the lead three at 62-59 with about 0:20 left. Unfortunately, the Rockets were assessed a technical foul because they used one too many time-outs and Hatton-Northwood made two free throws and came away with a 64-59 win.
Bo Belquist passed the 1,000 point mark in his varsity career. Belquist led the Rockets with a game-high 20 points. Ulrich had 16. Colton Konschak led the Thunder with 19 points. New Rockford-Sheyenne made 20 field goals, 11-16 free throws and committed 16 fouls. Hatton-Northwood made 21 field goals, 16-17 free throws and committed 14 fouls. New Rockford-Sheyenne is now 10-6 overall.
NR-S: 14 10 13 22 = 59
H-N: 18 7 12 12 = 64
NR-S: Hunter Thompson 7, Nick Presnell 6, Nick Berglund 5, Johnny Grann 3, Nathan Holzwarth 2. Three-pointers: Ulrich 4, Presnell 2, Belquist, Grann.
H-N: Avery Thorsgard 16, Alex Wolfe 13, Kelby Azure 12, Carter Myron 2, Parker Vaagene 2. Three-pointers: Wolfe 2, Azure 2, Thorsgard, Konschak.
Junior Varsity
NR-S 62, H-N 43
NR-S: 15 15 16 16 = 62
H-N: 9 15 6 13 = 43
NR-S: Johnny Grann 18, Koven Wolford 11, Nick Berglund 9, Kaden Jenson 8, Hunter Jacobson 6, Alex Harrison 4, Stephen Merrick 3, Hunter Johnson 3. Totals: 25 field goals, 6-15 free throws, 5 fouls. Three-pointers: Grann 4, Merrick, Wolford.
C Squad
H-N 33, NR-S 28
NR-S: 3 5 4 16 = 28
H-N: 6 7 12 8 = 33
NR-S: Hayden Meier 12, Alex Harrison 4, Caden Price 3, Koby Duda 2, Hunter Jacobson 2, Jordan Boehm 2, Trevor Waldo 2, Kadon Hilbert 1. Three-pointers: Meier 2, Price. Totals: 12 field goals, 1-10 free throws, 9 fouls.
H-N: Derek Carpenter 10, Austin Rygg 5, Levi Jorgenson 4, Hunter Twete 4, Teddy Peterick 3, Elliott Holden 3, Kaleb Brown 2, RyanVerke 2. Three-pointers: Rygg. Totals: 13 field goals, 6-7 free throws,12 fouls.
Next action for the Rockets is a make-up game Tuesday, Feb. 18 at McVille against Dakota Prairie. Five games will be played with the first one to begin at 3:30 p.m.
Midkota comes to town Thursday, Feb. 20, to close out the regular season.
Three games will be played with the first one set for 4:30 p.m.