Fergus Falls’ defensive strategy was to stop DeLaSalle leading scorers Gabe Kalscheur and Goanar Mar and let their teammates try to make contested shots.

Freshman guard Tyrell Terry accepted the challenge. He buried both of his three-pointers in the first half, “daggers” according to Otters’ coach Matt Johnson.

Called up from the Islanders’ B-squad in late January, Terry received mentoring from senior guard Samm Jones. As a result, the youngster was ready when the moment arrived.

“Not all freshmen are willing to come in and shoot, but Tyrell does a great job of that,” Jones said.

 

Late night for coach

Jackson County Central, making its first state tournament trip, beat Annandale in the late Class 2A semifinal game Friday and turned around for a 1 p.m. tip Saturday for the championship game.

JCC lost 96-90 to Braham, and coach Trent Sukalski said fatigue could have been a factor. Sukalski also had to scramble to put together a scouting report.

He stayed up until 2 a.m., woke up at 5 and slipped a scouting plan under his players’ doors before 8.

“I liked our plan, I still like our plan,” he said.

Desire overrides pain

Isaac Johnson couldn’t understand it. The Minneapolis North junior guard averaged 13.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per games during the state tournament and had a double-double — 18 points, 11 rebounds — in the Polars’ 68-45 Class 1A championship game victory over Goodhue. Yet, he wasn’t invited to the postgame news conference. He wasn’t named to the all-tournament team.

He had accomplished everything he’d set out to do, yet it seemed like no one noticed.

“Our whole team wanted to win this, but no one more than me,” Johnson said. “No one wanted to talk to me, and that hurts a little, but I just wanted this so bad.”

Johnson did all he could despite playing every game with severe back spasms.

“They were like really sharp pains,” he said. “I’ve been eating bananas, putting Icy Hot on it, everything.

“Nothing was going to keep me out of these games.”