Packers bounce back from 14-point hole to beat Raiders
Published 9:43 pm Tuesday, February 13, 2018
- Austin’s Logan Braaten pulls up for a shot in the first half against Northfield Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The No. 2 Austin boys basketball team didn’t back down from its biggest first half deficit of the season as it cranked up its defense and intensity to get past Northfield 56-49 in Packer Gym Tuesday.
The Raiders (14-6 overall, 11-5 Big Nine) used an 18-2 run to close the first half as they took a 31-17 lead into the break, but the Packers closed the game on a 14-4 run over the final eight minutes of the contest to score the win.
Duoth Gach hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 41 and he converted a break-away three-point play off a steal by Medi Obang to put the Packers (20-1 overall, 16-1 Big Nine) up for good at 46-45 with 7:14 left in the game. Tate Hebrink finished with 19 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals to lead the Austin comeback and Nyagoa Obany added 10 points and seven rebounds.
Austin’s Tate Hebrink runs the ball off the arch against Northfield Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“It’s a good win and it lets our guys know that we’re capable of coming back,” Austin head coach Kris Fadness said. “Tate [Hebrink] was really good in the second half and Nyagoa [Obany] made some plays. Our seniors are pretty darn good basketball players and they made winning plays tonight.”
Austin had its offensive and defensive struggles in the first half, but it was able to put the pressure on in the second half. The Packers forced 11 of Northfield’s 15 turnovers in the second half.
Austin’s Nyagoa Obany on the drive in the second half against Northfield Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“We just had to step up on defense,” Gach said. “We had to communicate and limit their offensive rebounds. The defense gets us going and guys get open shots.”
When the Packers had the ball in the second half, they made better decisions and made the extra pass.
“We made some adjustments and we started moving the ball,” Hebrink said. “We were playing too much ‘me basketball’ in the first half and everyone wanted to get their own. In the second half we shared the ball a lot more.”
The last time Austin struggled on both ends of the floor it resulted in its only loss of the season when the Packers fell to Owatonna 72-61 Jan. 16. Fadness was glad the Packers were able to bounce back against the Raiders.
Austin’s Duoth Gach fires a pass across the lane during the second half against Northfield Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“We needed to pick up the pressure defensively in the full court and we needed one minor adjustment in the half court,” Fadness said. “The kids did a pretty good job of handling that and it’s a tribute to our kids understanding that we needed to make same changes and then adapting to it. I thought we showed some real smarts as a basketball team and we fought and competed.”
Austin will now play four of its last five games on the road with three of those games coming against top teams in the Big Nine. The Packers will play at Mankato East Friday at 7:15 p.m.
Northfield 31 18 — 49
Austin 17 39 — 56
Austin scoring: Tate Hebrink, 19; Duoth Gach, 11; Nyagoa Obany, 10; Moses Issa, 7; Medi Obang, 5; Ngor Deng, 3; Dongrin Deng, 1; free throws: 78 percent (18-for-23); rebounds: 24 (Obany, 7); turnovers: 10
Austin’s Moses Issa turns with the fade-away over Northfield’s Mason Zick during the first half Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
