Falcons pull away from Packers with a late burst
Published 9:55 pm Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Austin’s Jackson Clausman shoots against a Faribault doubleteam Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Banyaan Omot spins toward the hoop against Faribault Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Dakota Retterath jumps through the Faribault defense on the way to a bucket during the first half Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Peyton Ransom goes in for a lay-up against Faribault’s Nolan Vogelsberg during the first half Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodeks@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Cole Hebrink gets a lay-up in the first half against Faribault Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Isaac Osgood heads past Faribault’s Mohamed Madey (4) during the first half Tuesday night Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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With a brand new roster this season, the Packer boys basketball team was sure to have some growing pains this winter.
Those pains came early and late for the Packers as they came back to tie the game against Faribault, only to fall to the Falcons (2-3 overall) 74-63 in Packer Gym Tuesday night.
The Packers tied the game at 61 when Cole Hebrink converted a three-point play off a Faribault turnover with less than two-minutes left, but Faribault’s Ryan Kreager, who finished with 19 points, and Mohamed Madey, who scored 23 points, each threw down dunks to push the Falcon lead to 66-61 with 53.6 seconds left.
“Because we don’t bring back a lot of guys with varsity experience, when teams come in here they feel like they can win. We come and visit them and they feel like they can win,” Austin head coach Jamaal Gibson said. “They’re going to give us even more than when we had a target on our back. In years past, when we jumped out to an early lead, teams would give up. Teams aren’t going to give up on us at all (this year) because they feel like they can beat us because of our inexperience. Our guys have got to realize that just because our jerseys say Austin, that doesn’t mean that we are the same team that we were over the last 10 years. We are not that same team and we’ve got to play more as a team than we ever have before.”
Austin (1-3 overall) trailed 32-11 in the first half but the Packers were able to rally to get within 34-24 at halftime. The Packers pulled within 39-35 when Hebrink hit a three and Isaac Osgood hit three-pointers to bring Austin within 47-41 and 59-58.
The Packers knocked down eight total three-pointers, but they weren’t able to produce very many easy buckets.
“Tonight our shot selection wasn’t great and ultimately that falls on the coach to get them to take the correct shots,” Gibson said. “Every time that we got stagnant on offense, the player movement and ball movement wasn’t great. We’ve got to get better at that.”
Peyton Ransom finished with 19 points, six rebounds and four assists and Isaac Osgood had 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Faribault 34 40 – 74
Austin 24 39 – 63
Austin scoring: Peyton Ransom, 19; Cole Hebrink, 16; Isaac Osgood, 14; Jackson Clausman, 5; Dakota Retterath, 4
