3/6/25: @Sauk Centre

Varsity: L (67-40)

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/67cb3cc2894f5fd4cd650a34

Dragon Boys Basketball season concludes with loss in playoffs

• By Heidi Burger
 
• Mar 12, 2025

The Dragon Boys Basketball team had their last game of the 2024-’25 season on Thursday March 6. It was game number one of playoffs, and they were up against Sauk Center; Sauk Center was a higher seeded team, while the Dragons were coming in as the 14th seed in the section. The boys and coaches felt prepared going into the game and had done what they could in practices. 

“I felt confident; I trusted our staff and our system and our leaders. We knew we had a chance,” said coach Kyle Allen, recalling the hours leading up to the game. 

In the first half, the Dragons were sticking right with Sauk Center. Unfortunately, the boys weren’t able to execute consistently throughout the game, and things they thought they had in plan and in place didn’t go that way. But, according to the coaches, it was still a valiant effort. 

Allen commented, “Grant Larson played hard and really held his own for a sophomore. He contributed big minutes and did what was asked of him.” 

Senior Charlie Ausmus also had a good game, ending his basketball career with the Dragons. Senior Bryer Willert got more minutes on the court as the Dragons rotation had to make some adjustments. Willert also stepped up and played well. 

The Dragons lost to a tough team with the final score being 67-40. Sauk Centre went on to win their second round and will be heading in the third round of playoffs. 

As for stats for the night, Austin Wiener 9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. Charlie Ausmus contributed 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal. AJ Ostenson had 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 charge. Bryer Willert had 5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 charges. Daniel Milliman 5 points, 2 rebounds and 2 steals. Eli Fromm 3 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist. Sawyer McDaniel 3 points and 2 rebounds. Grant Larson 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Colson Berglund 1 rebound and 1 assist. Jace Peterson 3 rebounds. 

“It’s bittersweet,” said Allen. “As we start to unwind from the season, we also start to wind up for the next year.”

The Dragons Boys Varsity Basketball team will graduate 13 seniors this year, so next season will look a bit different with a new crew of guys coming onto the roster.

@Sauk Centre Playoff Information

Information on the boys game on Thursday in Sauk Centre.

Ticket Link

Live Stream Link

Cash at the gate will be $10 & $5 per Region policy.

2/27/25: Foley

Varstiy: L (67-50)

JV: L

C-Squad: L

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/67c24ac11b5c2278f875b824

Dragon Boys Basketball heading into playoffs

• By Heidi Burger
 
• Mar 5, 2025

The Dragons Boys Varsity Basketball team had a busy week this past week before heading into playoffs. They started the week in Milaca, then hosted Barnum at home and ended the week playing Foley – three tough teams which resulted in three losses. But all three games were good basketball games to watch!

Foley 67, Pine City 50

Then on Thursday, the boys would head over to Foley. Coach Allen commented that the boys played very well again in the first half and didn’t back down. The second half started with Foley making a few baskets right away, inching closer to the Dragons.  

“We either needed to make a run for ourselves, or hold them in their run, and we couldn’t do either,” said Allen, “But I thought we competed. Foley is a good team and well coached.”  

Ostenson had 18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Wiener had 12 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Ausmus had 8 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist. Fromm had 5 points, 2 rebounds and 1 charge. Larson had 3 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal. Peterson had 2 points and 1 assist. McDaniel had 2 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Willert had 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. Milliman had 3 rebounds. Berglund had 2 rebounds. 

The Dragons will play Sauk Centre on Thursday, March 6 for the first round of playoffs. The game will be in Sauk Centre.

2/25/25: Barnum

V: L (66-70: OT)

JV: L

C-Squad: L

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/67bf9798a473cb1f901e21fe

Dragon Boys Basketball heading into playoffs

• By Heidi Burger
 
• Mar 5, 2025

The Dragons Boys Varsity Basketball team had a busy week this past week before heading into playoffs. They started the week in Milaca, then hosted Barnum at home and ended the week playing Foley – three tough teams which resulted in three losses. But all three games were good basketball games to watch!

Barnum 70, Pine City 66

The day after the loss to Milaca, the Dragons hosted Barnum. Barnum has a good team, a good program, so the coaches and the Dragons knew they were in for a tough game. 

“I really challenged the seniors before this game,” said Allen. “I said I’m really excited to see how you respond to what happened in our game on Monday. We’ve had 24 hours, and we now get to play again.” 

The seniors responded well! They stepped up to the line and stuck with Barnum, even frustrating them often during the game. It was a back and forth game, both teams taking turns with the lead. 

The second half Barnum would get up, but the Dragons fought their way back up each time. The game ended up going into overtime. But this was a different loss than the game against Milaca. The boys fought and did what they were supposed to do on the court – for the entire game.  

Senior Eli Fromm had an excellent game, according to Coach Allen. Senior Bryer Willert did as well. Although the Dragons lost by four points, it was an epic game and the boys showed a lot of grit. 

Wiener had 22 points, 8 rebounds and 1 steal. Ostenson had 18 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. Ausmus had 15 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 charge. Fromm had 7 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 steal. Willert had 2 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Peterson had 2 points and 2 rebounds. McDaniel had 1 rebound, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. Skluzacek had 1 rebound and 1 steal. Larson had 1 rebound, 1 assist, 2 steals and 1 charge. Milliman had 4 rebounds and 1 steal. Berglund had 1 steal. 

2/24/25: @Milaca

Varsity: L (45-49)
JV: L

C-Squad: L

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/67be732db55491632a668b19

Dragon Boys Basketball heading into playoffs

• By Heidi Burger
 
• Mar 5, 2025

The Dragons Boys Varsity Basketball team had a busy week this past week before heading into playoffs. They started the week in Milaca, then hosted Barnum at home and ended the week playing Foley – three tough teams which resulted in three losses. But all three games were good basketball games to watch!

Milaca 49, Pine City 45

The boys came out focused and ready to play. The first half was great as the boys executed on offense and defense, grabbing boards and following the game plan. They were ahead by as much as 12 points going into the half. 

The second half started out slow, but the Dragons kept their lead. At one point they were up 43 to 26 in the second half. And then things stopped going well for the Dragons. Coach Kyle Allen said things looked slow. As a coach he said he felt helpless, trying to figure out what to do to get the guys back in the game, trying to call the right plays so the boys could execute. 

“We gave up second chance points. The rebounds started to change. The turnovers started to change. And we just lost all momentum; we ended up not being able to hold off their run at the end and they were able to get the victory,” commented Coach Allen. 

AJ Ostenson had 13 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 4 steals, 1 block and 1 charge. Charlie Ausmus had 12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 charge. Austin Wiener had 8 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Bryer Willert had 6 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 3 steals. Grant Larson had 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 steal. Eli Fromm had 2 points and 2 rebounds. Daniel Milliman 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal. Sawyer McDaniel had 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal. Grant Skluzacek had 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 steal. Colson Berglund had 2 rebounds. 

2/21/25: @Crosby-Ironton

Varsity: L (51-74)

JV: L

C-Squad: L

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/67bac180a42609dc6f100f0f

Dragon Boys Basketball finishing up season games

• By Heidi Burger
 
• Feb 26, 2025

The Dragon Boys Varsity Basketball team traveled north to Proctor last Saturday, February 15. The boys played well, working as a team and they took the win. They were then supposed to play Milaca on Tuesday, Feb. 18, but that game got rescheduled due to cold weather. Then the team traveled to Crosby-Ironton on Feb. 21.

Crosby-Ironton 73, Pine City 51

The boys then headed over to Crosby-Ironton on Friday of last week. The Dragons knew going into the game that they would have their work cut out for them, as they did the last time they played C-I at home. This game looked very different from Proctor, however. The stats were lower, and the boys didn’t take care of the basketball as well. 

Coach Allen commented on the play of senior Colson Berglund, saying he came in and did his specific job well. Senior Jace Peterson came in the second half and had a nice stretch of points and rebounds. With few positives, the boys did not play up to their game and did not execute how they needed to win. 

Coach Allen also commented on the majority and excellence of the CI program.  “From the facilities, to talking with the other coaches, it is a great environment over there,” he said. 

As for stats on the night, AJ Ostenson had 16 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. Sawyer McDaniel had 9 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. Colson Berglund had 6 points and 3 rebounds. Jace Peterson had 5 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals. Charlie Ausmus had 5 points and 2 rebounds. Tanner Fix had 3 points. Grant Larson had 2 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals. Eli Fromm had 2 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Kevon Williams had 2 points. Daniel Milliman had 1 point, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 3 steals. Bryer Willert had 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 charge. Grant Skluzacek had 1 rebound. 

MN Select AAU Tryouts

 We are working on our teams for the spring and summer. If you could please send out information on tryouts to players who may be interested in playing spring basketball. We will have teams for ages 12U-17U. 

Here is the tryout link:

https://mnselectbasketball.sportngin.com/register/form/211600677

Playmakers North AAU Tryouts

 LAST CHANCE-Playmakers North Tryouts for SPRING/SUMMER 2025 will be held SATURDAY MARCH 15th AT SUPERIOR HIGH SCHOOL...  SIGN UP today through this link: CLICK HERE

AGE GROUPS: 4th through 11th graders (BOYS and GIRLS)

2/15/25: @Proctor

Varsity: W (74-47)

JV: L

C-Squad: W

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/67b2dc2cf0022d351be79c7e

Dragon Boys Basketball finishing up season games

• By Heidi Burger
 
• Feb 26, 2025

The Dragon Boys Varsity Basketball team traveled north to Proctor last Saturday, February 15. The boys played well, working as a team and they took the win. They were then supposed to play Milaca on Tuesday, Feb. 18, but that game got rescheduled due to cold weather. Then the team traveled to Crosby-Ironton on Feb. 21.

Pine City 76, Proctor 47

The game against Proctor was good for the Dragons. The team came together and showed off their strengths on the court. Senior Daniel Milliman was working hard on the court, getting rebounds and hustling everywhere. 

Coach Kyle Allen commented, “Milliman’s calling card has always been his aggression and his tenacity and his grit – it was on full display tonight.” 

Milliman’s game play that night seemed to get the rest of the team going and the momentum swung their way. Senior Charlie Ausmus also came out on fire. He grabbed a few rebounds and had no turnovers and was all over the court. “Charlie’s energy has been so great – his aura, his positivity has been awesome,” said Allen. The result of the game was a win for the boys. 

Ostenson had a strong night with 27 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. Ausmus also shined with 25 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assists, and 2 steals. Also adding to the night was Austin Wiener with 7 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. Milliman had 4 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals. Williams had 3 points and 2 rebounds. Sam Johnson had 3 points, 1 rebound and 1 steal. McDaniel had 2 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. Peterson had 2 points and 1 rebound. Fromm had 2 points, 3 rebounds and 1 steal. Skluzacek had 1 point, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 1 steal. Larson had 4 assists and 1 steal. Willert had 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Berglund had 2 rebounds and 1 steal. 

2/13/25: @Mora

Varsity: L (25-74)
JV: L

C-Squad: L (OT)

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/67afc966602cd7f5793e3475

Boys Basketball takes game against North Branch

• By Heidi Burger Pine City Pioneer
 
• Feb 19, 2025

The Dragon Boys Basketball team had two away games this past week. They started off playing North Branch on February 10 and traveled to Mora on Thursday the Feb. 13.

Mora 74, Pine City 25

The boys’ second game of the week looked quite a bit different than the first. It was a rough game, and the Dragons knew they would be up against a tough team. Mora has a few bigger guys that are committed to play ball at the higher level next year. The boys just couldn’t find their flow and things were not coming together on the court.  

At halftime, the Dragons had only scored 11 points. The Dragons were able to double their score in the second half, but they were too deep to get back into the game. It ended with a Dragon loss and score of 74-25, with a Mora win. 

As for stats, Ostenson had 9 points and 4 rebounds. Ausmus had 5 points and 2 rebounds. Berglund had 3 points and 1 rebound. Kevin McKellar had 2 points, 1 rebound and 1 steal. Skluzacek had 2 points and 1 steal. Larson had 2 points, 1 rebound and 1 block. Fromm had 1 points and 2 rebounds. Wiener had 1 point, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. Peterson had 2 rebounds. McDaniel had 1 assist. Fix had 3 rebounds and 1 assist. Willert had 1 rebound and 1 assist. Williams had 2 rebounds. Sam Johnson had 2 rebounds and 1 steal. Milliman had 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. 

The boys will play at Milaca on Feb. 18 and then at Crosby-Ironton on Feb. 21.

Upcoming Schedule

Thursday:

C/JV/V: Food and Film to go to Mora @330 PM

Friday:

Lift options for C and/or JV @7-8 AM

Varsity (optional JV) practice @7-830 AM

Varsity Lift Option @830-930 AM

Satruday:

C-Squad Bus to go to Proctor @845 AM

JV/V Food/Film to go to Proctor @930 AM

JV/V Bus to go to Proctor @1020 AM

C Game @ 11AM

JV Game @ 1215 PM

V Game @ 130 PM

Monday:

TBD (Varsity Practice, Optional for Sub Varsity with lift Option)

@Mora Tickets

Please get ticket information out to your parents and spectators to purchase online for your game in Mora.  Thank you

Ticketing: https://gofan.co/app/school/MN19620

2/10/25: @North Branch

Varsity: W (68-51)

JV: L

C-Squad: L

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/67abc4f59d6309acb67829cf

Boys Basketball takes game against North Branch

• By Heidi Burger Pine City Pioneer
 
• Feb 19, 2025

The Dragon Boys Basketball team had two away games this past week. They started off playing North Branch on February 10 and traveled to Mora on Thursday the Feb. 13.

Pine City 68, North Branch 51

It was a back and forth first half. The Dragons looked good against North Branch and had many strengths that showed on the court. This resulted in good stats, which resulted in points and a win. The boys kept the lead the first half and were ahead by four points. 

The second half the Dragons kept their focus and executed on offense and defense. The Dragons had three boys with points in the double digits, and almost every player had more than one rebound with senior Austin Wiener grabbing 11 rebounds. They were able to increase their lead by more than 10 points, and when the buzzer went off, they won 68 to 51.

Coach Kyle Allen felt the boys played well against North Branch. “[The] boys came out ready and executed. They were consistent in their play and how they operated,” said Allen. “Everyone played to their role and played it well. Energy was great and positive.”

All of these things added up to having the opportunity for success. Allen highlighted some players saying, “Charlie Ausmus continues his dominant performances. He was shooting well and was a great plug on the defensive end taking charges. Bryer Willert played some big minutes and played well. Took control as a senior like we expect. AJ Ostenson stepped up and hit some big free throws in big minutes.” 

High scorer of the game was AJ Ostenson with 24 points; he also had 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 steals. Austin Wiener had 17 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals. Charlie Ausmus had 15 points, 4 rebounds and 1 steal. Grant Larson had 5 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 charge. BryerWillert had 5 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 charges. Jace Peterson had 2 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist. Sawyer McDaniel had 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Grant Skluzacek had 1 rebound. Kevon Williams had 1 steal. Eli Fromm had 2 rebounds and 1 steal. Daniel Milliman had 3 rebounds and 4 assists. Colson Berglund had 1 assist.

2/7/25: @Aitkin

Varsity: L (61-71)
JV: L

C-Squad: L

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/67a7f0da5167fd16d2cc43c0

Boys basketball sees two strong wins against Hinckley-Finlayson, Aitkin

• By Heidi Burger

The Dragon Boys Varsity Basketball team had a busy week with games, getting two wins out of the three games they played. The boys are working hard on building the team’s foundation and being able to compete at their full potential as playoffs are coming up.

Aitkin 71, Pine City 61

Then on Friday, the boys traveled to Aitkin. Although the boys didn’t let up and they worked just as hard as the two previous games, the outcome was not what they were hoping for. They fell to the Gobblers 71-61. 

Allen commented that he hoped the boys were not discouraged. “Looking at the end result, we just didn’t shoot the ball real well, and they (Aitkin) shot the ball extremely well,” he said. “I thought the boys went into the game, executed and gave effort.” 

Senior Colson Berglund came in and played some big minutes for the Dragons, as some of the other players were in foul trouble and there was a 6 foot 9 inch guy that needed to be guarded. Berglund also hit four threes in the game. Senior AJ Ostenson was hustling on defense and was able to get 10 deflections – not commonly seen to get that high of a number for deflections. 

As for stats in the game, Ostenson had 20 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals. Wiener had 13 points and 5 rebounds. Berglund had 12 points and 3 rebounds and 1 steal. Ausmus had 6 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. McDaniel had 4 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Peterson had 2 points, 1 rebound and 1 charge. Willert had 2 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Fromm had 2 points and 2 rebounds. Skluzacek had 1 rebound, 2 steals and 1 block. Milliman had 4 rebounds. Larson had 1 rebound and 2 assists. 

The boys will head to North Branch Monday, February 10. They will then head to Mora on Thursday, Feb. 13, and they will end their week playing in Proctor on Saturday, Feb. 15.

2/4/25: Rush City

Varsity: W (78-64)

JV: L

C-Squad: L

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/67a3fc8ad6433317f1d92f4d

Boys basketball sees two strong wins against Hinckley-Finlayson, Aitkin

• By Heidi Burger

The Dragon Boys Varsity Basketball team had a busy week with games, getting two wins out of the three games they played. The boys are working hard on building the team’s foundation and being able to compete at their full potential as playoffs are coming up.

Pine City 78, Rush City 64

The following night, the boys played Rush City. Like Hinckley, the Dragons had also lost to Rush earlier in the season, so the boys were itching for another chance to play them. The Dragons knew it was going to be a physical game. Ausmus came out strong again this game, setting the tone and scoring 20 points and 5 rebounds. He also took 3 charges. Austin Wiener grabbed 13 rebounds, 7 of them being offensive. 

Coach Allen reported, “The boys just didn’t back down; they stuck with the system and with the game plan. They executed well. They did just what we needed them to do.” Another win for the Dragons!

In the game, Ausmus had 20 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assists, 2 steals, and 2 charges. Wiener had 17 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. Ostenson had 12 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Willert had 9 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist. Peterson had 7 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists. McDaniel had 6 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Larson had 4 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Skluzacek had 3 points and 2 rebounds. Milliman had 4 rebounds and 3 steals. Fromm had 1 steal. Berglund had 2 rebounds. 

2/3/25: @Hinckley Finlayson

Varsity: W (74-37)

JV: W

C-Squad: W

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/67a2b479743de7438cd68a99

Boys basketball sees two strong wins against Hinckley-Finlayson, Aitkin

• By Heidi Burger

The Dragon Boys Varsity Basketball team had a busy week with games, getting two wins out of the three games they played. The boys are working hard on building the team’s foundation and being able to compete at their full potential as playoffs are coming up.

Pine City 74, HF 37

The boys started off their week against Hinckley-Finlayson on Monday, February 3. They had lost to HF earlier in the year, so the boys were eager to face them again. They were motivated and ready to take the win. Coach Allen felt the boys really executed well this game. 

“The boys came out fired up! They had lots of energy and I think that showed in how they played on both ends of the court,” said coach Kyle Allen. 

The game was back and forth in the first half. There was a big momentum shift for the Dragons in the game when one of the HF players got called for goal-tending. Coach Allen was proud in how the boys handled the shift and pushed forward even harder with the momentum swinging their way. 

“Sam Johnson had a really, really nice first half – grabbing five rebounds,” said Allen. “We were missing a few guys for this game, and the rotation had to change a bit. Johnson stepped up and right in. He played some big minutes for us.” 

Senior Kevon Williams also got in the second half and shot well. Senior Charlie Ausmus had a physical game, and he was also executing on both ends of the court. It was good to see everyone get a part in the game. The Dragons took the win 74-37.

As for stats, AJ Ostenson had 20 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, and 2 charges. Sam Johnson had 20 points and 5 rebounds. Sawyer McDaniel had 12 points, 1 rebound and 3 steals. Bryer Willert had 8 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. Austin Wiener had 8 points and 5 rebounds. Grant Skluzacek had 6 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist. Charlie Ausmus had 6 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Jace Peterson had 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assists, and 1 steal. Kevon Williams had 4 points. Tanner Fix had 2 points and 1 steal. Grant Larson had 1 point, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Daniel Milliman had 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 charge. Colson Berglund had 2 rebounds. 

“C” workout: Week 1 or 3

 

“B” workout: Week 1 or 3

 

1/28/25: @Braham

Watch Live: www.tinyurl.com/DragonSportsLive

Varstity: L (44-88)

JV: W (OT)

C-Squad: W

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/679a90857028f0ad1a42d503

Dragon Boys Basketball defeated by Braham

• By Heidi Burger
 
• 1 hr ago

The Dragon Boys Varsity Basketball team had just one game last week against the Braham Bombers. The boys knew going in it was going to be a challenge. Coach Kyle Allen said Braham has a very talented group of juniors that have been playing together for a very long time. 

The Dragons stuck with the Bombers for a while, but then they went on a run and the Dragons were down at halftime 32-48. The run seemed to continue into the second half, and the Dragons couldn’t find their feet to recover. 

“We had a really nice game plan coming in on the offensive end, but we just weren’t able to execute it,” said coach Allen. “Our shooting percentage also was just OK from the two-point, and it was very low from the free-throw line and three-point.”  

Low shooting percentages make it hard to win games. Also, the Dragons had a high number of turnovers, which led to more possessions of the ball for Braham. The result was a loss, 88-44. It was good, however, to see some of the younger guys get some playing time as well. Coach Allen commented on the effort of senior Dan Milliman and how he worked hard guarding one of the better players in a tandem. 

Austin Wiener had 11 points, 8 rebounds and 1 assist. Daniel Milliman had 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assist, and 1 steal. AJ Ostenson had 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 charge. Sawyer McDaniel had 7 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Eli Fromm had 4 points and 3 rebounds. Charlie Ausmus had 3 points, 1 rebound and 2 assists. Colson Berglund had 2 points and 5 rebounds. Bryer Willert had 4 rebounds and 1 steal. Sam Johnson had 1 rebound and 1 steal. Grant Larson had 1 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist. Jace Peterson had 2 rebounds. Grant Skluzacek had 2 assists.  

The Dragons traveled to Hinckley on Monday, February 3. They will then make the drive to Aitkin on Friday, February 7.

1/24/25: Crosby-Ironton

Varsity: L (73-42)

JV: W

C-Squad: L

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/679642607c4dce9594173b5d

Boys Basketball sees two losses on the week

• By Heidi Burger
 
• Jan 29, 2025

Crosby-Ironton 73, Pine City 40

The Dragons then hosted Crosby-Ironton on Friday, January 24. It was a bit opposite from the East Central game. The Dragons’ first half was slow. Not a lot of good things happened on the court, and the Dragons went into halftime down 47-20. 

However, the start to the second half looked better. The Dragons came out strong and were hustling. But they slowed in the second half and could not recover. Looking at the two halves, the second half in points was much closer. The Dragons scored 22 and held Crosby-Ironton to 26. Crosby-Ironton shot an excellent game from the three-point; they had a 55% shooting percentage from the three and almost a 60% from the twos.  

Coach Allen commented on the positivity of senior Charlie Ausmus and how encouraging he is on the court. “We need to make sure we are being accountable to ourselves, to our players and to our program, in how we execute and go about things,” commented coach Allen.

In stats for the night, Ostenson contributed 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals. Wiener had 7 points and 9 rebounds. Willert had 6 points, 1 assist and 1 steal. Ausmus had 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Skluzacek had 3 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals. Larson had 3 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. McKellar had 2 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 block. Berglund had 2 points and 1 rebound. Milliman had 4 rebounds. Peterson had 1 steal. McDaniel had 1 assist and 1 steal. Fix had 1 assist. Fromm had 1 assist. 

The boys have two games this week. Tuesday, January 28 will be in Braham (no score as of press time), and Friday, Jan. 30 will be at home against Lakes International. 

Cambridge Spring 3 on 3

2025 Cambridge 3 on 3 Basketball League REGISTRATION OPEN!

GET YOUR TEAM TOGETHER AND SIGN UP TODAY!

2025 Cambridge (7th Annual) 3 on 3 League Dates: Sundays; March 23, 30, April 6 & 13 *We accept schedule requests through the Primary Contact Portal to help work around spring break and other conflicts. If your team can't play one of the four dates, we can schedule your group to play four games on one of the other play dates* Location: Cambridge High School; 430 8th Ave NW, Cambridge, MN 55008 Approximate Times: 4:00pm - 9:30pm Who:  Boys and Girls graduation years 2035- 2025 (2nd - 12th Grade) *3-6 players per team (register as a team) *No coaches *If you are looking to add a player to your roster, check out the Free Agent list on the Cambridge League Page. EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION Ends midnight Thursday, Feb 27 Cost: $275 per team  T-shirts included and will arrive week 1 REGISTRATION: https://www.midwest3on3.com/leagues/spring/cambridge-league

1/21/25: @East Central

East Central has cancelled the C-Squad game for tonight.  We will still play JV and Varsity.

Varsity: L (79-60)

JV: L

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/679166e9451a64c3a3aa6b01

Boys Basketball sees two losses on the week

• By Heidi Burger
 
• Jan 29, 2025

The Dragon Boys Varsity Basketball team had two losses this past week against East Central and Crosby-Ironton. Both games should have been closer, but the boys were struggling to find their game out on the court.

East Central 79, Pine City 60

The Dragons came out strong, and they had a good first half with East Central. It was a fun first half according to Coach Allen! The boys shot the ball well, especially from the three. 

“There were some positive things that we did in the first half,” said coach Kyle Allen, “We did a good job on transition defense. We did a nice job on the offensive boards. We did a nice job with assists, moving the ball around.” 

Sophomore Kevin McKellar came in and had some strong minutes with the Dragons, pulling down boards and working hard. Senior Colson Berglund came in and got a three-pointer.  

Coach Allen commented on Berglund, saying he comes in and plays his role, which is a huge positive for the team. “In the second half, we wanted to keep the game close, but they kind of eroded us; they wore us down,” said Allen. 

The Dragons made a little bit of a run in the second half, but it wasn’t quite enough to get them going. They ended up giving up about 45 points to East Central, which resulted in a loss for the Dragons.

As for stats in the game, AJ Ostenson had 16 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. Sawyer McDaniel had 16 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals. Austin Wiener had 11 points and 4 rebounds.  Grant Larson had 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals. Charlie Ausmus put up 3 points. Colson Berglund had 3 points. Kevin McKellar had 1 point and 6 rebounds. Eli Fromm had 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal. Daniel Milliman had 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Grant Skluzacek had 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. Jace Peterson had 1 rebound, 3 assists, and 1 charge. Bryer Willert had 4 rebounds. And Tanner Fix had 1 steal.

1/16/25: @Mille Lacs

Varsity: W (73-65)

JV: W

C-Squad: W

Highlights: http://www.hudl.com/v/2RUq7C

Dragon Boys Basketball defeats Mille Lacs Raiders

• By Heidi Burger
 
• Jan 22, 2025

The Dragon Boys Basketball team had one game this past week, and it was against Mille Lacs.  The Dragons played very well together as a team, even though the game was back and forth for a while. 

In the second half, Mille Lacs was able to cut the lead in half, but the Dragons remained level headed and stuck to their game. At one, the Dragons were ahead 51-50. The boys did well, and pulled ahead to win. 

Coach Kyle Allen commented, “Charlie Ausmus hit some crucial free throws for us in the game, off of a technical foul.” Free throws seemed to be key in this game, and the Dragons free throws were on point. Daniel Milliman also had a good game, came in and worked hard on both ends of the floor. Senior AJ Ostenson led in stats, having a great game both offensively and defensively. I was really proud and impressed with how the boys played.”

The Dragons took the win 73-65. 

AJ Ostenson had 16 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists and 6 steals. Charlie Ausmus had 14 points, 1 rebound and 1 steal. Grant Larson had 12 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Sawyer McDaniel contributed 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. Grant Skluzacek had 6 points and 1 rebound. Bryer Willert had 6 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal. Austin Wiener had 3 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. Colson Berglund had 3 points and 2 rebounds. Eli Fromm had 2 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals. Daniel Milliman had 2 points and 8 rebounds. 

The boys played East Central on Tuesday, Jan. 21. No score as of press time. They will host Crosby-Ironton on Thursday. 

AAU: MN Select Tryouts

 

JV/V Lifting through end of the season

After each JV/V member has completed one time through the 10 week lifting cycle, they will only be required to lift two times a week going back through the 10 week cycle for the second half of the season.  

They will no longer have "skips" available to them when only required to lift 2 times a week.  This begins after the completion of the 10 week cycle.

If you are opting to only lift twice a week, you would lift an “A” lift for your first of the week and a “B” lift for your second lift of the week  

The program still recommends that athletes lift three times a week; two is the minimum.

C-Squad will continue to lift twice a week with one of those lifts being during practice on Wednesdays.

1/10/25: Hinckely-Finlayson

Varsity: L (55-54)

JV: W

C-Squad: W

Highlights:

Dragon Boys Basketball has tough loss to Hinckley-Finlayson

• By Heidi Burger
 
• Jan 15, 2025

Hinckley-Finlayson 55, Pine City 54

Then on Friday, the Dragons hosted Hinckley-Finlayson. Coach Allen reported that the Dragons didn’t quite rise to expectations this game, and thus ended up being down with no time left. The boys were out-worked and out-executed by the Jaguars. 

“It’s a tough pill to swallow,” said Allen, “when you play a good game against a good team on Tuesday, and then we have issues in the next game.” It was a tough end to the game as a three-pointer was put up by the Dragons, missed and two consecutive put-backs were also missed. Disappointing for sure for the Dragon boys.

The boys will now look ahead to their next game against Mille Lacs on the road on Thursday, January 16. 

 

1/7/25: Braham

Varsity: L (74-66)

JV: W

C-Squad: W

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/677e681074698c984e4a14e3

Dragon Boys Basketball has tough loss to Hinckley-Finlayson

• By Heidi Burger
 
• Jan 15, 2025

Although the Dragons Boys Basketball team didn’t get a win this past week, the Hinckley game on Friday was an exciting game to be at as the Dragons almost pulled off the win! The Dragons had two losses, one against Braham and the other against Hinckley-Finlayson. 

Braham Bombers 74, Pine City Dragons 66

The Dragon boys hosted Braham on Tuesday, January 7. Although the score was not in the Dragons favor, there were good things that happened on the court. They were up against some stand-out players on the Bombers team. Grant Larson had a great game and remained steady throughout the game by controlling the tempo. Senior Sawyer McDaniel also played a great game, working hard on both ends of the court. 

Coach Kyle Allen noted, “We had some really good scores in the game. We had some guys play a really complete game.”

In the game, AJ Ostenson had 16 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Grant Larson had 13 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assists, and 2 steals. Charlie Ausmus had 8 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist. Bryer Willert had 8 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Sawyer McDaniel had 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal. Austin Wiener had 5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block. Colson Berglund had 3 points and 2 rebounds. Jace Peterson had 3 points, 1 rebound and 2 assists. Eli Fromm had 3 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist. Daniel Milliman had 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.