Pine City Boys Basketball falls to Esko in overtime
On Tuesday, March 1, the Pine City Dragon Boys basketball team traveled up to Esko to verse the talented Eskimos. The Eskimos are the number one seed in their section, and favored to go to State. The Dragons knew going into this game they were really going to have to grind. The atmosphere in the gym was exhilarating – with both teams and fans ready for a game.
The game started off with the first two buckets by senior Cole Waxberg. His first shot was an impressive put-back, showing off his great vertical. His next basket was an up-and-under drive to the hoop. The Eskimos then put in two points of their own. Waxberg, with an assist from Senior Dylan Peterson, answered right back with a three. The score was 7-2 five minutes into the game. The game remained close, with neither team able to gain a big lead. At the buzzer for the first half, senior Colton Blaisdell put up a baseline three pointer to make the score 46-42, Dragons had the lead.
The second half was a nail biter. Each team took turns taking the lead, but not by much. The score was tied 66-66 with seven minutes left in the game. From here, the Dragons were able to maintain a 1 to 3 point lead, but with about fifteen seconds left, Esko hit a three to tie the game 80-80 and go into overtime.
Coach Kyle Allen recalled, “We really had our chance at the end. We were up by about eight points with two minutes left and we had the opportunity to finish the game. They hit some big shots and forced some big turnovers and forced overtime. In overtime, they were able to pull ahead.”
The Esko Eskimos put in the first two baskets in overtime. Both teams dug deep and the score again was close. However, the Eskimos pulled ahead at the end and the Dragons fell short with the score being 95-86. Coach Allen said it felt like a play-off game and was a great experience for the boys.
Coach Allen also commented on the well-coached Eskimos. He said, “They’ve got some great athletes there in Esko. Just unbelievable, the turning out of athletes every year. They are top-notch across the board. Makes for a fun game for us.” He and the Esko coach, Derek Anderson, were teammates in college. What an awesome experience to meet once again on the court, but in a different setting. Coach Anderson has been coaching varsity for four years. He agrees with Coach Allen that their coaching styles are similar; they both like to push the tempo and get up and down the court. When asked about how he remembers Coach Allen, Anderson commented, “I do remember playing with Kyle. He was someone that took me in and made me feel like I was part of the team early on. He was a great leader.” It also had to be asked if he has any memories of Coach Allen. He chuckled and said, “I remember him being someone that always invited me out and made the underclassmen feel included. He always wore the same socks for every game. He would shout ‘locker room’ when it was time to finish pregame warmups. I also remember him saying he could get a ‘great deal’ on pizzas and the deal ended up being not so great...”
As the Dragon Boys Basketball team head to play St. Cloud Cathedral on Thursday, their community wishes them all the best.
Coach Allen added, “Here, as the playoffs arrive, we’ve been getting ready for this moment for a year or longer. Our guys are ready and itching to play and excited!”
Highlights: http://www.hudl.com/v/2H4qd7
V: L (86-95) OT
JV: L
C: L
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