WARREN-ALVARADO-OSLO KNOCKS OFF RED LAKE COUNTY 66-65

The Warren-Alvarado-Oslo Ponies Boys Basketball team won a close battle over the Red Lake County Rebels, 66-65 in the Section 8A Boys Basketball Quarterfinals at the Ralph Englestad Arena in Thief River Falls.

FIRST HALF-
In the first half, Warren-Alvarado-Oslo got off to a good start with an early basket from Adam McIntyre to make it an early 2-0 lead for the Ponies. Red Lake County responded with an offensive rebound and a putback from Owen Chervestad to make it 4-2 with Red Lake County in the lead. John Powers buried a three for Red Lake County to give them a 7-4 lead. Ethan Majeres came off the bench and knocked down a triple for the Rebels to make it 12-4. Dustin Moehrle got an offensive rebound and a layup for Warren-Alvarado-Oslo, but Red Lake County led 12-6. Connor Duden hit a three for Red Lake County as he extended the lead up to 15-8. Dustin Moehrle got a basket down low as he got a pass in transition from Kaden Pierce to make it 15-10 with Red Lake County still leading. Majeres connected on another three for the Rebels to give them a 20-12 lead. Majeres later used a pump fake, drove just inside the three-point arc, and used a floater to get his basket to fall to make it a 22-12 lead for Red Lake County. Kyden Kotrba hit a three for Warren-Alvarado-Oslo to make it 22-15 with the Rebels still in the lead. Adam McIntyre got a three for the Ponies to make it 24-20, with Red Lake County leading at the half. 

SECOND HALF –
To begin the second half, John Powers knocked down three for the Rebels to make it a 27-20 lead for Red Lake County. Reed Hanson answered with a three for Warren-Alvarado-Oslo to make it 27-23. Owen Chervestad knocked down a three to add to the Red Lake County lead, but that was quickly answered by a three from Adam McIntyre. McIntyre then hit another three for the Ponies to make it 35-33 with Red Lake County still leading. After the Ponies tied it, Connor Duden got a basket down low to make it 41-39 with the Rebels in the lead. Reed Hanson gave the Ponies the lead with a three to make it 42-41, but Will Gieseke nailed a three to give the Rebels a two-point lead. Kotrba knocked down a three for the Ponies to cut into the Red Lake County lead 46-45. Later in the half, McIntyre hit another three as Red Lake County still held on to a one-point lead. Kotrba gave the Ponies the lead with an and one to give them a 53-51 lead. Duden, later on, gave Red Lake County the lead with a smooth midrange jumper to go up 57-55. McIntyre hit another three for the Ponies to go up 63-59 with only a couple of minutes left. Gieseke hit a three for the Rebels to make it 64-62 with Warren-Alvarado-Oslo still in the lead. Dustin Moerhle hit a couple of free throws for the Ponies as they led by four. Powers hit a three with about 20 seconds left to make it 66-65 Ponies leading. The Ponies got fouled on the ensuing inbound but couldn’t make either free throw. Red Lake County got a shot off, but it didn’t fall, and Warren-Alvarado-Oslo was able to run out the remaining few seconds to get a 66-65 victory. 

Warren-Alvarado-Oslo improves to 17-11 on the year and will take on Fertile-Beltrami on Wednesday night in the Section 8A Semifinals. Red Lake County’s season comes to a close with a 25-4 record. The Red Lake County seniors are, John Powers and Peyton O’Neill. 

Click here for Coach Erickson’s post-game interview. 

Click here for Coach Philion’s post-game interview.