Boys B-Ball: Tiger rebound, rout Chaska

Eli Rockett 25 points, seven rebounds (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Last month Chaska put on a three-point shooting clinic in an 84-70 win over the Tigers in Chaska.

In Wednesday night's rematch at Tiger Gym the tables turned as the home team rolled by the Hawks 80-63 in game not nearly as close as the final score

The Missota  Conference victory snapped a three-game losing streak for Farmington and raised its league mark to 5-4. The Tigers are 15-6 overall..

"We knew going in they were going to score their points," Tiger coach Shane Wyandt said, "but we did a much better job tonight of contesting shots. We also controlled the boards and cut down our turnovers.

"Like I told the guys, we are same same players, the same team that had lost three in a row. Tonight we just did the things we need to do to be successful."

Wyatt Ferm career-high 22 points

The game was tight early with the Tigers trailing 20-17 when junior Wyatt Ferm came off the bench and promptly went on a personal 14-point scoring binge to give his team a 31-22 bulge. Ferm went five-for six from the field during the spurt that included a trio three-pointers.

"Wyatt is playing with a lot of confidence right now," Wyandt said. "He scored the ball but he also did a lot of other things well for us tonight."

Farmington was up by 10 before a closing 9-2 run sparked by Zach Speikers and Eli Rockett  made it a 19-pont lead at halftime.

The Tiger lead ballooned to as many 26 (76-50) in the second half before both teams went to their benches for the final four-plus minutes.

Rockett finished with a game-high 25 points to lead the Tigers and also pulled down seven rebounds.

"Eli was really aggressive inside tonight," Wyandt said. "That's what we need from him every night."

Ferm finished with a career-high 22 points and Speikers tallied 16. Nick Varner added eight points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Mac Bassett chipped in with seven rebounds before tweaking a knee in the second half.

Farmington won the battle of the boards 34-24 and just as importantly, turned the ball over just eight times.

"Much better job of taking care of the ball tonight," Wyandt said.

Friday the Tigers travel to Red Wing for a league encounter with the Wingers. Farmington won 69-64 when the teams met last month at Tiger Gym but Red Wing has been playing much better since the return of leading scorer Ty Buck.

"He is a load for them, a very good player," Wyandt said. "We'll need the same kind of effort that we had tonight."