Boys B-Ball: Wingers win a wild one

Nick Varner 13 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists (photo by Jim Lindquist)

When Farmington hosted Red Wing last month, the Tigers rallied from a double-digit second half deficit to beat the Wingers 69-64.

In the rematch at Red Wing Friday the visitors again trailed by a dozen in the second period but this time a big closing rally wasn't quite enough in a 72-71 Missota Conference loss.

The Wingers led by only four points at the halftime break before stretching their cushion to 12 on some hot shooting and sub-par defense by the Tigers.

"We played a stretch where we just couldn't get much going on offense and our defense just went to sleep," Tiger coach Shane Wyandt said. "That was disappointing.

"We played very little defense for about four minutes and allowed them to get hot. They shot the ball ridiculously well from three and as a result and we dug ourselves a huge hole."

Farmington kept scrapping, however, and eventually re-took the lead 71-70 on a Zach Speikers jumper with a minute and a half to play in regulation. But on the next possession, Red Wing's Isaac Toivonen got behind the the Tigers defense for what would prove to be the winning basket.

The Tigers got a nice look on the return trip up the court but Nick Varner's contested shot from close range rolled off the rim.

Red Wing opened the door twice more before the final horn on a turnover and a missed free throw, but another missed jumper and a desperation heave by Speikers as time expired sealed the deal.

Johnny Dittman, three 3-pointers, 3 rebounds, 2 assists (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Farmington featured a balanced scoring attack with four players in double figures. Eli Rockett netted 17, Speikers 16, Varner 13 and Mac Bassett 12. Johnny Dittman added nine on a trio of three-pointers.

Red Wing also had four players score in double digits, led by Toivonen's game-high 24 points.

The Wingers led in in rebounds (23-21), three-point baskets (10-8) and points at the free throw line (16-7).

Rockett was the Tiger team leader in rebounds with six. Varner had four and also dished out four assists.

"The bottom line is it was a really well-played game by Red Wing with a really gritty come back by our boys," Wyandt said. 

"However, those little things need to be figured out moving forward if we want to achieve our goals.  I think we are getting closer so we need a 'do whatever it takes type effort and attitude' from here on out."

 Here on out starts next week with a pair of home games on tap, New Prague on Tuesday and Holy Angels on Friday.