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Sports
Sports
CRYSTAL FALLS — High school basketball coaches often talk about the need for their teams to peak at the right time. Yes, early- and mid-season wins are important, but champions are made as the season winds down.
For the Forest Park boys basketball team, a seven-game losing streak from Feb. 16 through March 9 was almost completely forgotten as the Trojans advanced to the District 99 final against host Carney-Nadeau on March 27.
Victories over North Dickinson and Hannahville Nah Tah Wahsh propelled coach Kurt Lehmann’s team into the title game against the Wolves. The teams split their regular-season matchups and so the opportunity was there for Forest Park to wipe away its 2-7 start and add another trophy to the school’s display case.
As it turned out, the Trojans fell just short of advancing to the regional round as they dropped a 61-49 overtime battle to C-N. Forest Park nearly overcame an 8-point deficit in the final minute and a half of regulation.
For Lehmann, the game was a bit of a mixed bag.
“Overall, we played OK. We definitely made some mistakes, and we were kind of timid at times. We didn’t have the same energy that we had in the previous couple of games, but it was really exciting that we made that comeback and I felt like we had the momentum going into overtime.”
To get to the extra session, FP (7-9) erased a 49-41 deficit. Senior Gavin Johnson hit a 3-pointer to cut the gap to five before C-N missed the front end of a bonus with 1:01 remaining.
FP senior Keall Emmers then buried a triple of his own to pull his team within two with 35 seconds to play in regulation. The Wolves committed a turnover and Emmers eventually hit a driving layup to knot the game at 49-all with three seconds remaining.
C-N got the jump in the extra session with back-to-back 3-pointers.
“They hit the first one off a scramble from a kid who isn’t one of their best 3-point shooters,” Lehmann said. “The guys went out there and tried, but we didn’t play well in the overtime.”
In fact, the Trojans never dented the scoreboard in the overtime period. Meanwhile, the Wolves put the game on ice with free throws after the early 3-pointers in OT.
For the game, C-N sank 12 of 22 from the 3-point area.
“We contested most of them,” Lehmann said.
The Trojans sank seven 3s in the contest, led by Emmers who had three. In his final game for FP, Emmers paced his team with 19 points. Fellow senior Tommy Showers added 10.
Along with Johnson, who scored eight, Emmers and Showers logged heavy minutes as the trio did all year. Late in the season, classmate Gabe Scarlassara entered the mix after missing time because of an injury.
Lehmann, who just finished his second season at the helm of the FP boys program, commented on the seniors.
“Great class. Great group of guys and a lot of fun to coach and be around. They created a great environment.
“We went through that tough period with the seven-game losing streak and they could have quit. But they didn’t. They fought and it was a sign of their maturity that we were almost district champs with a losing record.”
In the end, the Trojans won five of their last seven games.
The future looks bright for the Trojans. Several underclassmen, including freshmen Gavin Rintala and Drake Rouse and sophomores Sam McKissack and Greydon Fischer, saw ample time on the court for the FP varsity squad.
“We definitely have some talent and potential coming through,” Lehmann said. “There is a lot of work to do and a lot of learning to do, and because we practiced the JV and varsity together, they have a real clear picture of my expectations.
“We will see how the summer goes. That will tell the tale.”
FOREST PARK (scorers) – Scarlassara 2, Johnson 8, Emmers 19, Rintala 8, Showers 10, Rouse 2.
CARNEY-NADEAU – Koffman 22, Flanagan 8, LaFord 2, Kakuk 5, Imhoff 12, Hodson 12.
3-point field goals – Forest Park 7 (Emmers 3, Johnson 2, Rintala 2), Carney-Nadeau 12 (Imhoff 4, Koffman 3, Flanagan 2, Hodson 2, Kakuk).
Trojans 9 11 12 17 0 - 49
Wolves 11 10 14 14 12-61