Packer boys start strong and cruise past Falcons
Published 9:35 pm Friday, February 2, 2018
- Austin’s Dongrin Deng vyes for a rebound .
The No. 2 ranked Austin boys basketball team jumped out to a fast start as its backcourt caught fire in an 85-47 win over Faribault in Packer Gym Friday.
Tate Hebrink scored 21 points as he hit five three-pointers and tallied three assists and three steals and LaHenry Gills hit four three-pointers to score 12 points off the bench for the Packers (16-1 overall, 13-1 Big Nine). Hebrink hit a couple of early threes as Austin jumped out to a 14-0 lead on the Falcons (4-13 overall, 2-13 Big Nine).
Austin’s Duoth Gach goes up for a first-half dunk against Faribault Friday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“I was knocking down shots early and I was feeling it a little bit,” Hebrink said. “It’s really nice having a lot of depth. We’ve got a big game [against Minnehaha Saturday] and we needed all the rest we could get. We’ve got to prove ourselves again and it’ll be huge.”
Gills has seen some playing time off the bench this season and he found his shooting touch early on Friday.
“I was feeling it tonight. I just kept believing in my shot and I just kept stroking it,” Gills said.
Austin head coach Kris Fadness was pleased with his team’s start, but Faribault was able to get back to within 22-12 before the Packer starters came back in and pulled away.
“It was a great start and I liked our energy and ball movement early on,” Fadness said. “It was nice to see Tate going and have him hit shots. I”m disappointed in our early bench play, I thought we were a little sloppy and the ball stuck to too many hands. Our bench play was much better in the second half and LaHenry shot the ball well.”
Austin’s LaHenry Gills brings the ball up court against the first half against Faribault Friday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin will face a tough test when takes on Minnehaha Academy (16-3 overall) in St. Thomas Academy Saturday at 6 p.m. The Redhawks have beaten Apple Valley, Orono and Stevens Point, Wis. this season.
“We’re a good team and we need to play good teams and highly competitive games,” Fadness said. “We get better playing really good teams.”
Asutin’s Logan Braaten contends for the rebound in the first half against Faribault in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Faribault 26 21 — 47
Austin 46 39 — 85
Austin scoring: Tate Hebrink, 21; Moses Issa, 14; LaHenry Gills, 12; Duoth Gach, 10; Nyagoa Obany, 6; Dongrin Deng, 4; Pierre Lilly, 2; free throws: 83 percent (5-for-6); rebounds: 25 (Obany, 13); turnovers: 11
Austin’s Moses Issa reaches for a rebound over Faribault’s Ben Malmenger during the first half Friday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
