EM boys knock off Durand-Arkansaw in overtime to move within a game of first
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ELK MOUND — The Elk Mound boys’ basketball squad accomplished what no other Dunn-St. Croix team has been able to do all season – defeat Durand-Arkansaw!
In a thrilling conference contest played on Elk Mound’s home hardwood Tuesday, January 30, the Mounders outscored the Panthers 10-5 in overtime, thanks in par, to a five-point Logan Jerome scoring run, to pull off the 59-54 win and avenge an earlier 18-point loss to the Panthers.
“It was a great team win,” stated Mounders’ head coach Christopher Hahn. “Durand has a strong team and we were able to get through some runs they made and found a way to win!”
The victory moved Elk Mound, the defending D-SC champion, within a game of co-leaders Durand-Arkansaw and Spring Valley. The Mounders headed into this week’s action with an 8-2 conference mark while the Panthers and Cardinals sit atop the standings with identical 9-1 records. Overall, Elk Mound is currently 15-3 with games at St. Croix Central Monday and home versus rival Colfax this Thursday, February 8. The Mounders then go to Spring Valley next Tuesday, February 13.
Elk Mound made ten three-point baskets in the game including seven in the first half when it was able to forge a 30-20 half time advantage. Brady Amble and Zane Brice buried a pair of shots from beyond the three-point arc with Jerome, Cale Knutson and Kaden Russo each adding one to their scoring tallies. Russo also had a pair of deuces as did Grandt Mueller along with a free toss to boost the Mounders to their ten-point halftime cushion.
“Zane and Brady played some great minutes for us and hit some huge shots. They handled pressure pretty well and set the tone for the team early on,” Hahn noted.
“Grandt played some outstanding minutes in the first half. He did a nice job of making hustle plays and got us a few really important baskets,” added the coach.
Following the intermission, Amble added his third triple of the game, Russo followed with his second three pointer and a 4-for-6 effort from the line and Jerome and Sam Wenzel each tossed in a bucket with Jerome adding a pair of freebies and Wenzel one.
But, as Coach Hahn alluded to earlier, Durand made some second-half runs to get back into the game. In fact, the Panthers had an opportunity to win the game at the end of regulation but a final shot attempt was off the mark as the horn sounded leaving the score knotted at 49 all.
In the “extra” four-minute period, Elk Mound came out firing,especially Jerome, who made a trey and a two pointer in overtime to put and keep the Mounder in the lead. Russo sank three of his four foul shots and Brice was a perfect 2-for-2 on his charity stripe attempts to account for the team’s other five OT points en route to the five-point victory.
Ethan Hurlburt scored all five of Durand-Arkansaw’s overtime points on a three and two free throws and finished with a game-high 24 points, nearly nine above his team-leading average of 15.5 points per game.
“Kaden and Logan carried us late in the game and into overtime. Logan’s five point run in OT was what we needed to keep the lead,” stated Hahn.
“I was very happy with Lucas Johnson’s defense and rebounding. He played some great minutes in the second half and overtime,” Hahn added.
Russo tallied 17 points including ten in the second half and overtime to finish as the high-point man for the Mounders. Jerome had two deuces, a pair of threes and was two-for-two at the line for 12 points. Amble finished with nine on three treys, Brice had eight and Mueller collected seven points.
Although Wenzel finished with only three points, the senior post player hauled down 13 of Elk Mound’s 33 rebounds and had a blocked shot. Russo added six rebounds and four assists and Jerome, Mueller and Johnson finished with five, four and three boards, respectively.
Elk Mound finished 17-49 shooting but was 10-for-24 from three-point range and made 15 of its 26 foul shots.
The Panthers’ Parker Alstad joined Hurlburt in double figures with 14 points. Durand-Arkansaw finished a perfect 12-for-12 at the charity stripe and made four triples.