HANG TIME — Fairmont guard Zach Jorgensen (11) prepares to release a mid-air jumpshot after driving past Worthington defender Abagotte Opiew during Big South Conference basketball action Saturday afternoon at Cardinal Gym in Fairmont. The Cardinals’ Gavin Junkermeier (14), along with the Trojans’ Kaleb Knothe (33), Jake Brandner (1) and Charles Brands (right), watch the action. (Photo by Greg Abel)
FAIRMONT — Fairmont’s boys basketball team held its opponents in the 50-point range and eked out three consecutive wins by less than 10 points each during the previous 11 days.
The hometown Cardinals utilized the same formula Saturday, but could not wrest the upperhand on the scoreboard from the Worthington Trojans during the second half at Cardinal Gym.
Sophomore guard Kaleb Knothe pocketed a pivotal steal and converted an ensuing one-and-one situation with 15 seconds remaining in regulation to stake the Trojans to a 55-51 lead.
Knothe, who tossed in two more free throws with 5 seconds to go, produced a game-best 18 points and doled out three assists to steer Worthington to a 57-53 Big South Conference triumph over Fairmont.
“We relied on our team defense to put together a three-game winning streak coming into today’s game,” Cardinals head coach Jared Thompson said in reference to his lineup’s 55-47 victory over Waseca on Jan. 24, a 56-52 decision over St. James Area on Jan. 28 and a down-to-the-wire 58-57 triumph over rival Blue Earth Area just 19 hours earlier on Friday night. “After winning an emotional one-point game last night against Blue Earth (Area), we were a bit drained both physically and mentally today.
“Unfortunately, we just couldn’t take the lead during the second half. We came close a couple of times, but Worthington answered each run we made.”
Knothe connected for a clutch 3-pointer with 4 seconds remaining before intermission to extend the Trojans’ lead to 29-23 when the teams went to the lockerroom.
Fairmont’s backcourt tandem of Zach Jorgensen and David Maakested, which combined for nine assists, worked the basketball inside to 6-foot-6 post player Sawyer Tordsen and 6-5 power forward Armando Hernandez to chip away at Worthington’s lead.
Tordsen, who generated a double-double performance of 16 points and a game-best 10 rebounds, converted a traditional 3-point play off a Maakestad delivery on the heels of Jorgensen’s runner to reduce the Trojans’ nine-point lead to only four with 15 minutes left in the second half.
Hernandez’s offensive putback basket combined with Jorgensen’s mid-air baseline spin en route to a traditional 3-point play later cut the Cardinals’ deficit to 40-38 with 11:40 remaining.
Tordsen later traded roles and triggered an assist to Levi Pooley for a 3-pointer to narrow the gap to 42-41, but Knothe countered by doling out two of his assists to spark the Trojans’ 8-0 run with 6 minutes to go.
Knothe hit Cooper McCoy for a cutter via an inbound pass, Zach Hayenga tossed in a runner and Knothe tracked down a long offensive rebound before feeding McCoy for a low-post leaner.
Down by nine, Tordsen sank a solo free throw, Hernandez transformed a backcourt steal into a basket before Jacob Crissinger sank a 3-pointer. Crissinger then spotted Hernandez for a baseline leaner to inch the Cardinals within 50-49 with 2:40 remaining.
Jacari Swinea, however, alertly tracked down a long offensive board before hitting the putback-and-1 to put the Trojans back up by four with 2 minutes to go.
Jorgensen dished his game-best fifth assist to Tordsen for a low-post basket to draw within 53-51 with 38 seconds left, but Knothe later used his vertical leap to snare a Fairmont inbound pass and iced Worthington’s win with four straight free throws during the final 15 seconds.
Jorgensen and Crissinger each netted nine points for the Cardinals, while Gavin Junkermeier came off the bench to contribute eight points.
Knothe shared top team rebounding honors with Abagotte Opiew by grabbing six each, while Jake Brandner delivered 12 points for the Trojans.
Swinea and Abagotte Opiew each chipped in eight points for Worthington.
Fairmont (7-9) plays host to Pipestone Area in a 7:15 p.m. conference game on Tuesday night at Cardinal Gym. Worthington (5-12) plays host to Pipestone Area tonight.
Worthington 29-28–57
Fairmont 23-30–53
FAIRMONT (53)
Jorgensen 3-12 3-3 9, Hernandez 3-5 0-0 6, Tordsen 7-10 2-4 16, Crissinger 3-7 1-1 9, Maakestad 0-2 0-0 0, Junkermeier 4-8 0-0 8, Pooley 2-5 0-0 5, Lebbi 0-1 0-0 0, Rodning 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-50 6-8 53.
WORTHINGTON (57)
Swinea 3-5 2-5 8, Brands 0-1 0-0 0, Knothe 5-6 6-7 18, A. Opiew 3-14 0-0 8, Brandner 6-13 0-0 12, M. Opiew 0-5 0-0 0, McCoy 3-5 0-0 6, Mulder 1-1 1-1 3, Hayenga 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 22-51 9-13 57.
3-pointers: Worthington 4-13 (Knothe 2-2, A. Opiew 2-5, M. Opiew 0-4, Brandner 0-1, Swinea 0-1); Fairmont 3-11 (Crissinger 2-5, Pooley 1-3, Jorgensen 0-2, Lebbi 0-1). Fouled out: None. Rebounds: Fairmont 26 (Tordsen 10); Worthington 24 (Knothe and A. Opiew 6 each). Assists: Fairmont 12 (Jorgensen 5, Maakestad 4); Worthington 6 (Knothe 3). Steals: Worthington 7; Fairmont 4.
Worthington outlasted Fairmont in a high-scoring B-squad game, 71-61, Saturday at Cardinal Gym.
Blaze Geiger scored 16 points to pace the Cardinals, Prince Lebbi contributed 12 points, while Jamie Mueller tossed in eight points.
Harmon Schrunk collected 15 points to guide Fairmont to a 52-36 victory over Worthington during C-squad action Saturday.
Nolan Schultze supplied 12 points for the Cardinals, while Oliver Tordsen and Trevor Maakestad chipped in nine points apiece.