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By Danielle Strenke
The North Branch boys basketball squad battled illness and injury throughout the season and still came out on top. The Vikes claimed the Rum River Conference championship last Friday night after defeating Foley 54-43 to finish with a perfect 18-0 conference record.
The Falcons kept the game close early in the first quarter until North Branch went on a 5-point run, eventually leading 19-10 after one. Foley matched the Vikes in a 12-12 second quarter for a 31-22 halftime lead for the Vikings.
Foley came back and challenged for the lead at the end of the third, as North Branch saw its lead dwindled to 3 at 39-36.
Senior Matt Fletcher put the game out of Foleyís reach by sinking 3 three-pointers for the Vikes to open the final quarter. The Vikes went on to outscore Foley 15-7 in the quarter for the 54-43 win.
Head Coach Bill Baumann said defense was the key in the game. ìWe held Foley to 43 points to keep our season average for opponents below 50,î he said. ìFoley was a great challenge at this time. They are big and strong and that is what we will be facing in the sectionals,î Baumann said.
Fletcher led the team with 26 points and 13 rebounds, while senior Matt Nelson added 15 points. Senior Britt Baumann had 5, senior Jake Anderson and junior Tony Beaver had 3 apiece. Senior Bowie McClaskie rounded out the scoring with 2 points.
Baumann is proud of the team for going undefeated in the RRC. ìTo go through a conference season undefeated is an amazing accomplishment,î he said.
ìTo win 18 games without stumbling once is a real credit to the kids. When the season started they set their goal as going undefeated in the conference. I said, ëyou mean to win the conferenceí and they said no--to go undefeated in the conference.î
The team now moves into the section 6AAA tournament as the No. 1 seed. The Vikes are set to face Mahtomedi Thursday, March 11, 7 p.m. at North Branch. A win would put the team into the semifinals, scheduled for March 16 at Irondale High School.
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