Boys basketball roundup: Paynesville out-scores ACGC, 83-77

Paynesville senior Max Athmann, 22, launches a 3-pointer over ACGC's Jonas Morrison during a Central Minnesota Conference game Friday, Dec. 16, 2022 in Grove City.

By Joe Brown, Tom Elliott, Michael Lyne

December 16, 2022 11:15 PM

GROVE CITY — Paynesville emerged the winner of a high-scoring Central Minnesota Conference opener.

The Bulldogs had four players finish in double figures on the way to an 83-77 boys basketball victory Friday at Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City High School.

ACGC senior Micah Werner, 21, is trapped by Paynesville defenders Max Athmann, 22, and Winston Carlson during a Central Minnesota Conference game Friday, Dec. 16, 2022 in Grove City.

Max Athmann provided Paynesville a significant boost in the opening half.

Athmann, a 6-foot-1 senior guard, scored the Bulldogs’ final eight points of the opening frame. That included the last two buckets of the half — a 3-pointer and a layup with 8.6 seconds left — that put Paynesville ahead 39-33 at the break. Twelve of Athmann’s 14 points came in the opening half.

With 10:21 left to play, the Falcons cut the Bulldogs’ lead to one possession, 57-54, following a layup from Thor Goerish. Goerish, Kyler Pickle and Jonas Morrison each had 18 points for ACGC, with Goerish also tallying seven rebounds and five assists. Pickle had seven assists and hit four 3-pointers. Coming off the bench, Morrison snagged a team-high eight boards.

After the Falcons cut the deficit to three, Paynesville’s Bryce VanderBeek quickly extinguished ACGC’s momentum. He scored back-to-back buckets in the paint to put his team ahead 61-54.

Paynesville senior Eli Nelson, 10, puts up a layup attempt against ACGC's Thor Goerish during a Central Minnesota Conference game Friday, Dec. 16, 2022 in Grove City.

VanderBeek finished with a game-high 19 points. Eli Nelson (18) and Brayden Pung (14) also reached double figures for the Bulldogs.

With less than six minutes to play, Grayson Fuchs scored on a layup to put Paynesville ahead 69-59. The Falcons got as close as four points, but could not make it a one-possession game the rest of the way.

Both teams have non-conference matchups up next. Paynesville has a home game Tuesday against Minnewaska. ACGC heads to Upsala on Monday.

Central Minnesota

Paynesville 83, ACGC 77

Paynesville (3-1) 39 44 — 83
ACGC (1-3) 33 44 — 77
PAYNESVILLE - Scoring: Brayden Pung 14, Izaak Schultz 3, Eli Nelson 18, Gus Johnson 2, Grayson Fuchs 4, Max Athmann 14, Abe Brunner 6, Bryce VanderBeek 19, Blayke Pung 3 … 3-point shots: Athmann 3, Br. Pung 2, Nelson 1, Schultz 1 … Rebound leader: n/a … Assist leader: n/a … Steal leader: n/a ... Block leader: n/a
ACGC - Scoring: Kyler Pickle 18, Sam Rouser 5, Micah Werner 2, Marcus Forsythe 5, Jonas Morrison 18, Thor Goerish 18, Carson Borchert 11 … 3-point shots: Pickle 4, Goerish 2, Rouser 1 … Rebound leader: Morrison 8, Goerish 7 … Assist leader: Pickle 7, Goerish 5 … Steal leader: Borchert 2 ... Block leader: Forsythe 2

BBE 80, Holdingford 45

Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa earned its second consecutive victory behind two 20-point performances at Holdingford.

Kaden Pieper led the Jaguars with 24 points and Luke Dingmann had 22. Dingmann tallied a team-high 11 rebounds.

BBE plays host to Minnewaska at 7 p.m. Thursday.

BBE (2-0) 43 37 — 80
Holdingford (1-3) 20 25 — 45
BBE - Scoring: Kaden Pieper 24, Luke Dingmann 22, Brady Schwinghammer 14, Kaden DeRoo 5, Hayden Sobiech 4, Jordan Herickhoff 4, Luke Illies 3, Sam Mastey 2, Jamison Reed 2 … 3-point shots: Schwinghammer 4, DeRoo 1, Illies 1 … Rebound leader: Dingmann 11 … Assist leader: DeRoo 3, Matt Walz 3 … Steal leader: Dingmann 4 ... Block leader: Illies 2
HOLDINGFORD - Stats not available

Non-Conference

NLS 65, Minnewaska 54

New London-Spicer earned a season-opening victory behind a 17-point performance by junior Grant Paffrath at Glenwood.

Senior Brycen Christensen added 16 points for the Wildcats. Aeden Andresen had 12 and Mason Delzer had 10.

Minnewaska saw three players reach double-digits in scoring. PJ Johnson had 15, Dylan Alexander had 13 and Hunter Kloos had 11.

NLS plays host to Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Minnewaska hosts Morris/Chokio-Alberta at 7:15 p.m. Monday.

NLS (1-0) 30 35 — 65
Minnewaska (0-4) 27 27 — 54
NLS - Scoring: Grant Paffrath 17, Brycen Christensen 16, Aeden Andresen 12, Mason Delzer 10, Nixon Harrier 6, Christopher Schneider 2, William Danielson 2 … 3-point shots: Christensen 2, Andresen 2, Paffrath 2, Harrier 2 … Rebound leader: Christensen 10 … Assist leader: Paffrath 3 … Steal leader: Paffrath 3 ... Block leader: Christensen 5
MINNEWASKA - Scoring: PJ Johnson 15, Dylan Alexander 13, Hunter Kloos 11, Tenzin Dahl 9, Blake Andreas 4, Alex Panitzke 2 … 3-point shots: Kloos 3, Alexander 2, Johnson 2, Dahl 2 … Rebound leader: Alexander 7 … Assist leader: Panitzke 3, Kloos 3 … Steal leader: Dahl 2 ... Block leader: none

CAL

CCS 71, Cambridge Christian 26

Jonny Reid scored 17 points and had 12 rebounds to help Community Christian School to victory over Cambridge Christian to remain undefeated this season.

Kody Tollefsrud notched 10 assists in the contest. Eleven players scored at least one basket for the Eagles.

CCS returns to action at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, against Immanuel Lutheran at the Target Center.

CCS (8-0) 44 27 — 71
Cambridge Christian 16 10 — 26
CCS - Scoring: Jonny Reid 17, Will Chapin 9, Mark Arnold 9, Gavin Mulder 8, David Mulder 8, Kody Tollefsrud 7, Sam Mulder 4, Ben Reinertson 3, Jack Velyan 2, Micah Lindgren 2, Zephaniah Bonnema 2 … 3-point shots: Reid 1, Chapin 1, Arnold 1, D. Mulder 1, Tollefsrud 1, Reinertson 1 … Rebound leader: Reid 12 … Assist leader: Tollefsrud 10 … Steal leader: Reid 2, Chapin 2, Tollefsrud 2 ... Block leader: Reid 2
CAMBRIDGE CHRISTIAN - Stats not available