Last week, in Devils Lake’s region opener against Carrington, Max Palmer had it working.
“Everything I put up, it just went in,” Palmer said. “I felt like I couldn’t miss. My confidence was through the roof. I mean, if I saw the rim and I was a little bit open, that ball was going up.”
Palmer attempted 21 three-pointers. He made 10 of them.
It was the most three-pointers any Firebird has ever made in a game. He surpassed the previous school record held by Beau Brodina and Mason Kostecki, who each hit nine.
The point guard who helped set up his opportunities was his twin brother, Mason Palmer.
“It was awesome, man. He was on fire,” Mason said. “He lit it up all night long. We were just trying to get him shots, trying to get the ball in his hands. And that’s what we did, and he just kept making them. It’s really awesome to see him do that and shine, because he’s a great shooter and we’ve been knowing that it’s time for him to get his name out there and do some really cool stuff.”
With Devils Lake’s deep array of basketball talent in recent years, this is Max’s first season as a starter. He provided sparks off the bench in Devils Lake’s last two runs to the championship game. But there’s more being asked of him this year.
In the season opener, he scored only four points.
“The first game, I think I was just a little nervous. And I definitely did not play aggressive,” Max said. “So after that first game, I had to flip a switch and decide that if we’re going to take this team far, I mean, I’ve got to be aggressive.”
Max has come onto the scene in a hurry. After Mason took the spotlight with 37 points in the opener, Max has shifted some of that attention towards himself. He scored 28 points in a win over Jamestown.
Then, as Devils Lake buried Carrington 80-25, Max scored 34 points. His outburst led the Firebirds to a two-point region win in the standings.
“He’s a scorer. He’s got a scorer’s mentality, for sure,” Devils Lake head coach Dustin Brodina said. “Mason’s doing a fantastic job of distributing the ball, especially when he’s double, triple-teamed. And we’ve got to have all the guys have that mentality. And I know Max will get there.”
The Firebirds, despite losing four starters, have maintained firepower on the offensive side of the ball. In the first half against Carrington, they went on a 33-0 run. They had a 54-10 lead by halftime.
Max made his first five threes of the night. He didn’t miss one until about two minutes into the second quarter.
He went 7-for-11 from beyond the arc in the first half. He made four in the first quarter and three in the second.
“After I got my seventh or eighth, I was hunting it,” Max said. “And I was going for it.”
He said he found out how many he had at halftime.
“So then I knew I needed three more to get the record. Two more to tie it,” Max said. “So that was my goal for the second half.”
The Firebirds were not shy about getting the ball in Max’s hands in the second half. He made 10 attempts in the third quarter — despite not even playing the whole quarter.
Stuck at eight triples, Max missed four consecutive attempts. On the last of those, Ben Brodina grabbed the rebound. He handed it off to Max, who converted one from the middle of the arc.
It was his ninth, tying the school record.
But, with 1:55 left in the third quarter, Coach Brodina pulled his starters — which included Max. Devils Lake had a 35-point lead.
Max knew he was one away from sole possession of the record.
“So then,” Max said, “I was like, ‘Coach, put me in.’”
Coach Brodina told him, per Max’s recollection, that he would get the last minute of the quarter to play. He would have his chance.
But if he didn’t break the record in what was left of the third quarter, then oh well.
Max reentered with 41.5 seconds on the clock.
He dribbled it down the court himself. He shot an ambitiously long three — short. Talan Gregory grabbed the rebound. He kicked it back to Max, who connected from the left wing for the 10th triple he was searching for.
“I had to get the shots up quick,” Max said.
So Max had his moment. He could sit on the bench feeling satisfied in the fourth quarter.
His team obliterated Carrington. The Firebirds got off to a 2-0 start in region play.
They hosted Hillsboro/Central Valley three days later and won again. They scored at least 70 points for the fourth straight game.
Max — the same Max who only scored four points in the season opener — now leads the team in points per game with 21, as of Monday. He’s even surpassed the total his brother is averaging.
His school record is a nice little bonus.
“I’m not a huge record guy. But I’m proud of him,” Coach Brodina said. “It just shows hard work, that he’s put in the time. And to break school records, it’s not easy. So that was good. It was good. I’m happy for him. But we move on now, and we’ve got to focus on what our goal is, is playing in the state championship.”
Leave a Reply