MACCRAY outbattles Redwood

REDWOOD FALLS -- Games can be won or lost at the free-throw line.

The MACCRAY boys basketball team won their matchup of ranked Class AA teams from the charity stripe with a 87-79 victory over Redwood Valley Tuesday.

The Wolverines (23-0), ranked No. 6 and one of only five unbeaten boys teams in the state, made 26-of-28 free tosses and didn't miss one in the last five minutes of action.

To get to that point, however, MACCRAY had to withstand a barrage of three-pointers from the No. 9-ranked Cardinals (17-5). Mike Felt, the area's leading scorer and three-point shooter who finished with 40 points, knocked in two in the first couple of minutes and Redwood Valley jumped out to an 8-0 lead.

But MACCRAY made most of its possessions count in a battle of one-shot offenses. The Wolverines patiently worked back to a 17-15 lead and ended the half with a 43-36 advantage.

MACCRAY built its lead to 65-55 with about eight minutes left, but the Cardinals still had enough drive left. Felt and Sam Knudsen, who is the second-most prolific three-point shooter in the area, hit three straight treys and cut the lead to one. Felt finished with eight 3-pointers and Knudsen four.

However, the Wolverines had too many weapons for Redwood Valley to handle. Seth Hinrichs and Shaun Condon scored 29 and 27 points, respectively, and Tyler Dammann went six-for-six from the free-throw line in the game to keep any Cardinal rally under control. Condon was 12-for-14 at the line. Dammann finished with eight points. Dylan Aeikens contributed 11 points.

Knudsen added 14 points, and Trevor Goblirsch and J.T. Radel added 10 each for Redwood Valley.

MACCRAY 87, Redwood Valley 79

MACCRAY (23-0) 43 44 -- 87

Redwood Valley (17-5) 36 43 -- 79

MACCRAY - 27 FG (7 3-pt); 26-28 FT; rebounds not available; 14 fouls ... Scoring: Shaun Condon 27, Jordan Smith 6, Tyler Dammann 8, Dylan Aeikens 11, Darrin Caspers 4, Seth Hinrichs 29, Caleb Hanson 2 ... 3-point shots: Hinrichs 4, Aeikens 2, Condon 1 ... Rebound, assist, steal leaders not available

REDWOOD VALLEY - 29 FG (12 3-pt); 9-13 FT; 24 rebounds; 23 fouls ... Scoring: Sam Knudsen 14, Trevor Goblirsch 10, Mike Felt 40, Erich Panitzke 5, J.T. Radel 10 ... 3-point shots: Felt 8, Knudsen 4 ... Rebound leaders: Felt 6 ... Assist leaders: Goblirsch 5, Knudsen 5 ... Steal leaders: none