The Climax-Fisher Knight Boys Basketball team started the game on an 11-0 run and led the rest of the way to beat the Lake Park-Audubon Raiders 67-58 in a game played in Audubon. It was the first victory of the season for the Knights.
FIRST HALF
Climax-Fisher set the tone early by starting the game on an 11-0 run. The run started with back-to-back three-pointers from Ryan Morris and Dylan Evitts. Jory Vasek followed with a basket, and Morris made another three-pointer for an 11-0 lead four minutes into the game. “You could tell how bad the boys wanted it,” said Knights Coach Brenda Slyt. “We were happy with the start, but we weren’t content.”
Lake Park-Audubon settled down and picked up their offensive game, and clawed back to within an 18-16 deficit with 5:10 left in the half. Climax-Fisher responded with a Dylan Evitts basket and another three-pointer from Morris. The Raiders answered with two baskets before Dylan Evitts rattled home a three-pointer with 1:51 left in the half, and nobody scored the rest of the way, and the Knights took a 26-20 lead into halftime. “We had great leadership today,” said Coach Slyt. “We had everybody step up, and everybody was looking for all of their teammates, and Jory Vasek had some amazing rebounds, and as a team, we did a good job of boxing out.”
SECOND HALF
Lake Park Audubon started the half by scoring the first five points and went with a diamond and one defense. Climax-Fisher started working the ball around, and they started getting open shots and went on a 10-0 run with a three-pointer from Ethan Evitts, a basket from Vasek, and five straight points from Morris for a 36-25 lead three minutes into the half. “They were making plays today,” said Coach Slyt. “They had great passing and worked the ball around, and that was great to see.”
Climax-Fisher kept the lead close to 10 points and led 60-49 with less than four minutes left in the game. Lake Park Audubon started fouling Climax-Fisher to put them at the line, and the Raider plan worked as they got within a 60-57 deficit with 1:40 left in the game. “We didn’t shoot our free throws very well for a while,” said Coach Slyt. “I told my coaches that if we lose this game because of free throws, that is all we will do on Monday.” Coach Slyt didn’t have to worry about the Monday practice plan because Dylan Evitts was fouled with 1:35 left and made both free throws, and Zach Helgeson made one of two free throws 26 seconds later, and the Knights led 63-57. The Raiders made one of two free throws, and the Knights’ Morris and Dylan Evitts made two free throws each in the final 30 seconds, and Climax-Fisher held on to win their first game of the year by a 67-58 score. “The boys continued to fight, they worked hard, and they showed a lot of heart today,” said Coach Slyt. “They stayed on their toes, they were moving, they were working the ball around well, and they trusted each other and played really well. This was a big win, and they want more, and I hope we build on it and keep working hard.”
Climax-Fisher improves to 1-13 on the year and will host Warren-Alvarado-Oslo on Tuesday. Lake Park-Audubon drops to 5-6 on the year.
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Climax-Fisher | 26 | 41 | 67 |
| Lake Park-A | 20 | 38 | 58 |
| For Climax-Fisher | Points |
| Dylan Evitts | 25 |
| Ryan Morris | 24 |
| Ethan Evitts | 9 |
| Jory Vasek | 6 |
| Aidan Rogeness | 2 |
| Zach Helgeson | 1 |
| For Lake Park-A | Points |
| Trent Bjerke | 26 |
| Kaden Beske | 12 |
| Marc Pederson | 11 |
| Colby Poegel | 3 |
| Sean Felker III | 3 |
| Satchel McDonald | 2 |
| Hayden Groeneweg | 1 |
