19 points, 3 blocks vs. Eastview
Fifth-ranked Eastview's pressure defense and rebounding muscle sparked the Lightning to a 73-45 victory over the Tigers in the opening round of the Hastings Holiday Shootout Tuesday, Dec. 28, in Hastings.
Farmington scored the first five points of the game and trailed 25-20 late in the first half before Eastview closed on a 6-2 run to take a nine-point halftime lead.
The game would have been closer had the Tigers taken advantage of their free throw opportunities. They made just six of 12 in the opening half.
"The positive to take out of this is that our kids didn't back down from a top-rated team," coach Shane Wyandt said. "In the past we would have been intimidated but we took the game to them, especially in the first half.
"We had some success with mixing up zones and we forced them into some mistakes. We just didn't shoot the ball very well and they handled us on the boards."
The second half was all Eastview as the Lightning opened on a 26-9 run with Alex Michels scoring all nine of the Tiger points.
"Al can play with the big boys." Wyandt said. "We didn't give him much help offensively tonight."
Farmington played the second half without the services of starting guard Darren Beenken who watched from the stands due to illness.
Michels finished with 19 points to lead the Tigers in scoring. Sebren Baer added eight and Beenken six. Point guard Elliot Fenske had a team-high seven steals and Baer came up with four. Michels had three blocks.
The loss dropped Farmington (2-4) into the third place game with host Hastings on Wednesday evening, Dec. 29 at 5:00 p.m.. The Tigers downed the Raiders 70-48 earlier this season at Tiger Gym.
