Boys hoops suffers with road losses

The North Branch boys basketball team went on a week-long road trip playing three games in six days.
Last Tuesday, the team traveled to St. Francis where the Vikings fell to the Saints 71-63.
The Vikes then headed to Mora for the first Rum River Conference game of their season, taking a big 79-64 win.
The team rounded out the week by traveling to Cambridge on Saturday and losing to the Bluejackets 66-51.
St. Francis
The Vikings started out slowly in the game, trailing the Saints 17-7 early in the first quarter and falling behind 21-13 at the end of the quarter.
The team was able to cut the score to 21-19 in the second quarter, but the Saints re-opened the lead to 37-27 by the half.
St. Francis extended its lead to as many as 20 points in the third quarter and ultimately finished the third up 53-36.
After a Viking free throw and a Saints basket, St. Francis had an 18-point lead in the fourth.
The Vikings found energy toward the end of the gam and came within 10 points of the Saints with help from Matt Fletcher and Jake Anderson sinking some long shots.
North Branch efforts were defeated, however, with the Saints able to keep a six-point margin over the Vikings and make free throws at the end of the game.
Mora
The Vikings again started playing at a slow pace in the Dec. 12 match-up against Mora.
The team fell to an early 20-7 deficit, but rallied for 10 more before the end of the quarter, bringing the score to 24-17.
The team entered the second quarter charged up from a buzzer-beater 3-pointer from Britt Baumann, but that energy could not sustain the Vikings and Mora led 30-29 at the half after another last-second 3-pointer ñ this time by Matt Fletcher ñ cut the Mustang lead.
It took a third super 3-pointer, by Jake Anderson this time, late in the third quarter to pull the Vikes out of the slump.
North Branch would not relinquish its lead, ending the quarter ahead 55-43.
A pair of 2-pointers from Jeremy Jaques and a Tyler Higley 3-pointer started out the fourth quarter, and the closest the Mustangs could come to the Vikings lead was 12.
ìWe were playing short-handed and hurt,î said head coach Bill Baumann. ìJared Gagne was out with a knee injury and Darren Breslin was not playing at full strength with a bad ankle.î
Despite the injured team, Baumann said Higley and Fletcher both were ìonî all night, that Britt Baumann had a strong defense and Jake Andersonís shooting stroke had returned. He also said Tony Beaver and Jeremy Anderson are improving and could be looked to for future help.
Cambridge-Isanti
North Branch suffered through the Dec. 14 game on the Bluejackets home court and came home with a 66-51 loss.
Although the team did not earn victory, they came out charged up and ready to go, unlike the pattern the team had established in previous games.
The score after the first quarter was 17-15 in favor of Cambridge.
The young Bluejackets outscored the Vikings in the second quarter 12-7 to take the 29-22 lead at the half.
In the third quarter, Cambridge was able to open up a 19-point lead which North Branch dented by scoring the last four points of the quarter.
Jake Anderson showed his stuff at the start of the fourth quarter, opening a scoring volley that kept heating up.
After Cambridge answered Andersonís 3-pointer with a basket, Tyler Higley came back to swish another 3.
Cambridge dropped a 3-pointer in return only to be smacked with a double dose of Andersonís field goal ability as he sank two 3-pointers.
Cambridge sank four free throw opportunities and one more basket, stretching the Bluejacket lead to 14, but Anderson wasnít done yet.
He answered back with a final 3-pointer, but it just wasnít enough to seal the game.
Anderson, leading the nights Viking scoring with 20 points, sank six 3-pointers altogether. Higley tacked on an additional 18 points and snared seven rebounds.
The Vikings were scheduled to face Chisago Lakes on Tuesday night and will host Milaca on Friday.

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