In the early minutes of the second half of Thursday’s game against Hermantown, Orono found itself in a unique spot. The Spartans were playing an outstate opponent they hadn’t played recently and opened the second half having to fend off an aggressive Hawks full-court press that wasn’t there in the first half.
Thanks to plenty of experience, the Spartans were able to overcome any push from Hermantown as Orono eventually took control and cruised to a 76-60 victory on its home floor.
“We like to do our press a lot,” Hermantown coach Andy Fenske said. “We weren’t sure if we were going to be ready to do it in the first half. We hoped to catch them by surprise.”
The first half saw both teams finding leads. However, a late push put Orono ahead 36-29 at the half. Orono senior Isaiah Hagen continued his role as the leading scorer for the Spartans, finishing the opening half with a team-high 10 points. He was also honored before the game for recently passing the 1,000 career point mark.
Showcasing a senior-heavy lineup, Orono held off an upset attempt from Hermantown as the Spartans won 76-60 on Thursday at Orono High School.
After falling behind in the game’s opening minutes, Orono quickly gained control and extended its lead to seven points by the end of the first half. Senior Isaiah Hagen led the way with 10 first-half points for the Spartans, who are ranked No. 6 in the latest Class 3A rankings by Minnesota Basketball News.
Hermantown, ranked No. 15-3A, kept up with the experienced Orono squad, including an 8-0 run to open the second half and grab a brief lead. Senior Blake Schmitz and junior Abraham Soumis led the way for the Hawks with 18 and 15 points, respectively. Junior Peyton Menzel also dropped 14 points for the Hawks (15-5, 8-0).
Orono (14-5, 4-3) eventually regained the lead as its seniors knocked down key shots. Hagen finished with 23 points, including a three-pointer late to help ice the win for the Spartans. He was one of three seniors in double figures. Grant Gunderson poured in 17 points while Zach Close tallied 12. Sophomore Nolan Groves also recorded 14 points in the victory.
The MN Basketball Hub poll is for entertainment purposes only.