By Tom Crawford

News Editor

The Staples Motley Cardinal boys ended a nine game losing streak to Crosby-Ironton Friday night, taking a 54-53 overtime victory over the third ranked team in Class AA.

“It was the first time in five years we’ve beaten these guys, that felt good,” Derek Wolhowe said. His three point shot from above the key tied the game 51-51 with 18 seconds left in regulation.  Wolhowe finished with a game high 19 points.

Each team scored in the overtime before Jon Bristow was fouled putting up a shot beneath the basket with 26 seconds left.  He missed his first free throw but hit the second for a slim margin. 

With 7.7 seconds left, C-I brought the ball across mid court where Jordan Riewer took it away and dribbled toward the basket, then broke away from the crowd and tossed the ball into the rafters as the game ended.

“That felt like the longest two seconds of my life,” Riewer said. “I just put it up in the air and hoped for the buzzer.”

Constantly being boxed in by the Ranger defense, the Cardinals’ leading scorer only had 8 points. “That doesn’t matter, that means somebody else is open,” Jordan said. “The other guys stepped up, Derek, Jason (Johnson), Jon (Bristow).”

“Coach said we had to out-work them, out scrap, out rebound them,” Riewer added.

SM’s preliminary stats showed the Cards with 39 rebounds to 25 for C-I. The Cards, however, even won the battle of turnovers, making 27 miscues to just 16 for the Crosby team.

“They all stepped up tonight,” Cardinal Coach Lynn Peterson said. “Wolhowe, Bristow, Trevor Wentworth all had some good minutes. He didn’t play in the second half, but Jordan Peterson had some tremendous minutes for us in the first half. Every guy on the floor tonight seemed to relish the minutes.”

For the Cards, the win  means Tuesday night’s game at Detroit Lakes takes on much more significance. A win at DL means they will tie C-I for the Mid State Conference title.

Feb. 26

Staples Motley  54, Crosby-Ironton 53 (OT)

Staples Motley 31  23  54

Crosby-Ironton  27  26  53

Staples Motley (54): Trevor Wentworth 4, Jason Johnson 8, Jordan Peterson 2, Derek Wolhowe 19, Jordan Riewer 8, Jon Bristow 13.

Crosby Ironton (53): Matthew Hudrik 13, Tyler Dickie 6, Mark Hoge 13, Sam Baker 8, Brock Tesdahl 8, Tyler Snook 3, Michael Hoge 2