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Crissinger, Cardinals sink free throws to upend Arrows

FINAL POINT — Fairmont’s Jacob Crissinger prepares to make the final point of a Big South basketball game against Pipestone Area from the free throw line on Tuesday night at Cardinal Gym. The Cardinals’ David Maakestad (1) looks on. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — Jacob Crissinger’s 3-point shooting and Gavin Junkermeier’s production in the paint off the bench built Fairmont’s 29-22 halftime lead over Pipestone Area during Big South basketball action Tuesday night at Cardinal Gym.

Crissinger, Zach Jorgensen and Levi Pooley then combined to sink eight free throws during the final 1:44 of regulation to upend the Arrows, who entered the game with a 15-3 overall record, 58-49.

“They’re a very good team, so I thought we did a good job of countering with a key basket each time they moved within striking distance tonight,” said Fairmont head coach Jared Thompson. “They made little runs, but our defense didn’t give up a big one and that was key.”

Junkermeier, who neared a double-double performance by scoring eight points and grabbing a game-best nine rebounds, and Crissinger combined for nine points during the Cardinals’ pivotal 11-0 surge after trailing the Arrows early, 7-4.

Junkermeier ignited the run by converting a Sawyer Tordsen entry pass for a reverse lay-in, Zach Jorgensen angled home a baseline drive and Junkermeier hit a putback basket. Crissinger, who finished with a game-best 17 points, hit a putback off a Tordsen steal before connecting for the first of his three 3-pointers off one of David Maakestad’s four assists.

Fairmont then rained down trifectas, blistering the hometown nets on 5 of 7 behind the bonus arc, en route to a 6-for-11 performance overall. Crissinger nailed two more 3s, Gavin Rodning drilled a trey and Pooley banked home a buzzer-beating 3-point runner to carry the Cardinals into the lockerroom at intermission with a seven-point advantage.

Connor Zephier sank two of his three 3-pointers to highlight scoring 10 of his team-best 13 points in the final 18 minutes to help the Arrows stay within four to six points during the second half.

Kaden Musch, who produced 11 points, seven boards and three steals, sank a solo free throw to inch Pipestone Area within 41-37 only to have Pooley nail a right-corner 3 off an Armando Hernandez kickout pass to restore a seven-point gap at the 7:55 juncture.

Kellen Johnson worked the offensive glass for the Arrows for a putback basket on the ensuing possession, but Jorgensen offset the play by corraling a long offensive carom and banking in a running leaner at the 5:45 mark.

Zephier converted a one-and-one situation and Musch hit a follow basket to carve Fairmont’s margin to 46-43, but Tordsen muscled home a baseline duck-under shot to keep the Arrows at bay with 3 1/2 minutes remaining in regulation.

Crissinger then bookended Fairmont’s eight free throws by sinking a one-and-one at the 1:44 mark before dropping home the final two charity tosses with 6 seconds showing. Jorgensen and Pooley hit two free throws each down the stretch.

Jorgensen, Tordsen, Junkermeier and Pooley each finished with eight points for the Cardinals, while Hernandez added six points.

Merrick Heidebrink contributed eight points, three assists and three steals to the Arrows’ effort, while Johnson netted seven points.

Fairmont (8-9) travels to St. Peter on Friday night for a 7:15 p.m. Big South Conference tipoff against the Saints.

Pipestone Area (15-4) hits the road to Marshall on Thursday night for another league contest.

Pipestone 22-27–49

Fairmont 29-29–58

FAIRMONT (58)

Jorgensen 3-8 2-3 8, Hernandez 2-3 2-2 6, Tordsen 3-9 2-4 8, Crissinger 5-8 4-4 17, Maakestad 0-0 0-0 0, Junkermeier 3-5 2-3 8, Pooley 2-4 2-3 8, Rodning 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 19-38 14-19 58.

PIPESTONE (49)

K. Johnson 3-7 1-4 7, Musch 5-10 1-2 11, Lorang 2-2 0-0 4, Heidebrink 2-11 3-3 8, Zephier 3-6 4-4 13, Biever 0-5 0-0 0, Holt 2-3 2-3 6, Borman 0-3 0-0 0, Strasser 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 17-49 11-16 49.

3-pointers: Fairmont 6-11 (Crissinger 3-6, Pooley 2-3, Rodning 1-1, Jorgensen 0-1); Pipestone 4-22 (Zephier 3-5, Heidebrink 1-8, Biever 0-3, Borman 0-3, K. Johnson 0-2, Musch 0-1). Fouled out: Hernandez. Rebounds: Pipestone 28 (Musch 7); Fairmont 27 (Junkermeier 9). Assists: Fairmont 9 (Maakestad 4); Pipestone 6 (Heidebrink 3). Steals: Pipestone 9 (Musch and Heidebrink 3 each); Fairmont 6.

Prince Lebbi tallied 17 points to help guide Fairmont to a 49-40 victory over Pipestone Area during B-squad action Tuesday night in Fairmont.

Blaze Geiger produced 10 points for the Cardinals, while Trey Tumbleson supplied eight points.

Nolan Schultze tossed in 11 points to engineer Fairmont’s 32-30 win over Pipestone Area during C-squad action Tuesday night in Fairmont.

Oliver Tordsen generated seven points for the Cardinals, while Harmon Schrunk and Trevor Maakestad each contributed five points.

Mankato Loyola 53, Truman/Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain 50 — Carter Zimmerman poured in a game-best 27 points, including six 3-pointers, to help the Crusaders overcome a two-point halftime deficit to the Jaguars during Valley Conference action Tuesday night in Truman.

Senior post player Adam Heckman produced a double-double performance of 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds to help pace the Jaguars’ down-to-the-wire effort. Heckman became the Jaguar boys basketball program’s all-time career leading rebounder with the double-digit board performance.

Kayden Loeschen topped the Jaguars’ offense by scoring 17 points, while teammate Jakob Fischer contributed eight points.

The Jaguars (7-12) plays host to Madelia on Friday night in Truman.

Mankato Loyola (15-4) plays host to St. Clair on Friday night.

Lake Mills 63, North Union 44 — Denton Kingland netted 14 points and teammate Wyatt Helming chipped in 13 more to pace the Iowa Class 1A No. 4-ranked Bulldogs to a 19-point Top of Iowa Conference win over the Warriors on Tuesday night in Armstrong.

Aiden Lofstrom and Landon Hagedorn each scored eight points to top North Union, while Kolton DeVary tossed in six points.

Danyal Fothergill topped the Warriors by grabbing four rebounds, while Kyan Jones doled out four assists.

The Warriors made 15 of 26 shots from 2-point distance, 4 of 13 behind the arc and only 2 of 4 at the free throw line.

North Union (8-12) tips off the Iowa Class 1A, District 3 playoffs by facing North Iowa at 6:30 p.m. Monday night in Graettinger, Iowa.

Lake Mills (20-0) travels to Mason City, Iowa, on Friday night to face Newman Catholic in a regular-season game.

Girls Basketball

North Union 70, Lake Mills 12 — Naomi Jones collected a game-best 17 points, pocketed five steals, dished out four assists and blocked three shots to help the Warriors collar the Bulldogs by 58 points during Top of Iowa Conference action Tuesday night in Armstrong.

Alivia Charlton generated eight points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots for North Union, while Sam Nielsen netted eight points and pulled down six rebounds.

Maggie Engelby contributed eight points to the winning effort, Olivia Von Bank delivered seven points, six rebounds and five steals, while Lily Henderson chipped in seven points and five boards.

Cassie Beadle and Emily Meyer each distributed four assists for the Warriors, who sank 27 of 49 2-pointers and 4 of 14 from 3-point range.

North Union (16-5) opens the Iowa Class 2A, Region 2 quarterfinals against Sioux Central at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15, in Armstrong.

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