AA 3rd Place Albany vs. Pequot Lakes

Preview

A historic season of Pequot Lakes boys’ basketball wrapped up with a 3rd place victory over Granite Ridge Conference rival Albany, 55-50. The win matched the best-ever finish for Patriots’ boys basketball with the ’06-’07 season and surpassed that team with a program record 30th win.

The Patriots had to once again overcome poor shooting, as they trailed 28-19 at the half. Pequot Lakes shot just 31% while the Huskies hit seven threes, but kept within striking distance forcing ten Albany turnovers.

A 15-5 run that started early in the second half tied the game at 37. Albany’s senior Ashton Olson hit a big three to put the Huskies back up 40-37. Pequot Lakes kept battling, and tied the game again at 47 only for Olson to hit yet another cold-blooded three. But that shot, with 5:07 left in the game, would be the final points for Albany. Pequot Lakes pounded the ball inside, scoring in the paint and at the free throw line to finish on an 8-0 run for the 3rd place hardware.

The three seniors shined for the Patriots with Blake Spiczka tallying ten points and snatching five steals. Gus Bolz-Andolshek had seven points and a huge block on defense. Owen Krueger pitched in six points, playing a very physical post position. The 13 combined points by GBA & Krueger were all in the second half as Pequot Lakes outscored Albany 36-22 after the break.

Sophomore Gus McKenna led the scoring for Pequot Lakes with 15 and Rock Holubar finished with 8.

The three Patriot wins over Albany were by a combined 10 points.

Albany finishes 25-8 and will graduate five seniors, including Olson who had 27 points and five three-pointers for the 4th-place Huskies.