Junior Ryan Martinson started and finished strong in the game against the Two Harbors Agates at Two Harbors on Tuesday, March 2. The Vikings defeated the Agates, 56-38, with Martinson finishing with a game high 24 points.
The Cook County boys’ basketball team finished its regular season with a 56-38 win over the Two Harbors’ Agates. The win brought the Vikings’ overall season record to 8-12.
To start the game, the Vikings tried to run their “opening tip” play in which Mike Austin tips the ball forward to teammate Ryan Martinson. While the tip takes place, a Viking guard sets a back screen. If all works as planned, Martinson gets the ball and dunks it through for a score. While the odds of the play ever working are very low, Cook County ran the play to perfection to start the game versus the Agates. Martinson grabbed the ball off the tip, took one dribble, and dunked the ball through the hoop! It was a sign of things to come for Martinson who had the best game of his young career as a Viking.
After 11 minutes of play, the Vikings found themselves in the middle of a
defensive slugfest with the Agates, as the
score was tied up 10-10. Furthermore, senior center Mike Austin was in foul trouble and on the bench for the rest of the half with two fouls.
Freshman Colin Everson had his best all-around game of the season against the Agates.
In the next five minutes of play, senior James Groth and freshman Colin Everson combined to score 15 straight points. Groth hit three of his four first half three-pointers in that stretch and Everson added six points by driving to the basket against the 2-3 zone of Two Harbors.
With a strong surge in the final minutes of the half, the Vikings led at halftime, 28-18. Groth led the Vikings at the break with 12 points, all coming from three-point baskets. Martinson also had a strong first half on the boards, as he grabbed numerous rebounds and scored nine points in a great individual effort during the first 18 minutes of play.
After a stern lecture at halftime, the Vikings came out in a bit of a fog to start the second half. The Agates scored the first nine points of the half to cut the Vikings’ lead to just one, 28-27, after only three minutes of play.
Martinson then took over for Cook County, scoring seven straight points as the Vikings took a 35-30 lead with 12:02 left in the game. In the next two minutes, Cook County scored six straight points to extend its lead to 11, 41-30. Martinson continued to punish Agate defenders as he drove the basket, scoring six straight points as the Vikings now had a decisive 47-34 lead with just under five minutes left in the game.
The Vikings would go on to win 56-38. Martinson finished the game with 24 points, making 11 of his 15 shots from the field. Martinson added 11 rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Groth finished with his 12 points from the first half and Colin Everson added eight points in his best all-around game of the season.
Dylan Quaife, who is just returning from a knee injury that he suffered during football season, looked great in his five minutes of limited action. Quaife scored four points and grabbed three rebounds.
Cook County played in its first playoff game Thursday night after this edition went to press. If they won their first playoff game, they will play in the Section 7A quarterfinals in Hibbing on Saturday. Look in next week’s edition for all the scores and highlights.
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