The Mahnomen/Waubun Thunderbirds finished the game strong in a back-and-forth battle to beat the Climax-Fisher Knights 81-75 in a Section 8A game played at the Fisher High School Gym.
FIRST HALF
The first half was an entertaining back-and-forth battle, and it started with Climax-Fisher scoring the first six points with two three-pointers from Sawyer Erickson. Mahnomen/Waubun bounced back with six points of their own, with three baskets from three different players to tie the game. The game was tied at 8, 11, and 14. MW made two baskets for an 18-14 lead with 11:55 left in the half before the Knights’ Erickson made a layup for his 14th point of the game. After a Thunderbird free throw, Jaycer Davis grabbed two offensive rebounds before converting a three-point play, followed by a Branson Solheim basket, a Tyler Evitts three-point play, and a Ty Torrance rebound and putback to cap a 10-0 run for a 26-19 lead with 7:26 remaining.
Mahnomen/Waubun responded with a 14-4 run to take a 33-30 lead with two minutes to go.
Climax-Fisher’s Sawyer Erickson buried a three-pointer, his fifth of the game, to tie the game at 33. The Thunderbirds scored the next five points and held on to take a 38-35 lead into halftime.
SECOND HALF
Mahnomen/Waubun started the second half on a 7-2 run for a 45-37 lead two minutes into the game. Climax-Fisher’s Ty Torrence made a basket before the Thunderbirds’ Taden Larson and Brody Lhotka made baskets for a 49-39 lead over four minutes into the half. Trailing 51-41, Climax-Fisher went on a 10-2 run with seven points from Ty Torrence and a three-pointer from Branson Solheim to bring the Knights within a 53-51 deficit with 11 minutes remaining.
Climax-Fisher trailed 55-52 when Mahnomen/Waubun went on a 12-2 run for a 67-54 lead with 7:47 to go in the game. Climax-Fisher settled down and responded with a 12-2 run to get within a 69-66 deficit. Mahnomen/Waubun answered with a 10-4 run to take a 79-70 lead with 70 seconds remaining. Climax-Fisher’s Dustin Carl had a basket, and Erickson made his sixth three-pointer of the game to get the Knights within a 79-75 deficit with 32 seconds to go. Mahnomen/Waubun held on to win the game 81-75.
Climax-Fisher drops to 7-11 on the year and will host Goodridge/Grygla on Monday. Mahnomen-Waubun improves to 12-7 on the year.
JV – Climax-Fisher won 34-33
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Mahnomen/Waubun | 38 | 43 | 81 |
| Climax-Fisher | 35 | 40 | 75 |
| For Climax-Fisher | Points | Rebounds | Misc. |
| Sawyer Erickson | 22 | 2 | 2 assists/2 steals |
| Branson Solheim | 14 | 3 | 3 assists/2 steals |
| Tyler Evitts | 14 | 5 | 2 assists/2 steals/2 blocks |
| Ty Torrence | 11 | 4 | 1 assist/2 steals |
| Dustin Carl | 6 | 4 | 1 assist/1 block |
| Ty Davis | 4 | 1 | 1 assist |
| Jaycer Davis | 3 | 5 | 2 assists/1 steaal |
| Tristen Schwarz | 1 | 1 | – |
| For Mahnomen-Waubun | Points |
| Anthony Thompson | 18 |
| Ethan Jackson | 16 |
| Brody Lhotka | 16 |
| Gavin McArthur | 12 |
| Taden Larson | 12 |
| Ladanian Rowland | 6 |
| Gage Jackson | 1 |
