Four Winds/Minnewaukan led by 11 points at the end of three quarters. Against most teams, that’s enough to feel pretty good about your chances of winning.
But things are a little different when you’re facing the No. 1 team in Division A — a team that hasn’t lost a game all season.
The No. 2 Indians (9-3, 2-1) battled the No. 1 Kindred Vikings (12-0, 5-0) in a defensive bullfight for the ages Saturday at Devils Lake Sports Center. Defense was strong on both sides, and FW/M gradually started to pull away as the game went on. But a miraculous run from Kindred in the fourth quarter kept its undefeated season alive with a 48-45 win, likely upholding its position at the top of the Division A rankings.
“I’ve been through a lot of games like that,” Indians head coach Rick Smith said. “You just try and make the best decisions you can as a coach, and as a coaching staff. I thought we could have done some things differently down the stretch, but overall, those are the games that are so much fun. And you learn so much, whether you win or lose.”
Each side was missing shots and turning the ball over at the beginning of the game — and really for much of the game’s duration. Both teams had strong defensive pressure and were making it tough for players on either side to take open, clean shots.
After an early foul by Deng Deng, Kindred’s Presley Peraza missed both his free throws. FW/M took a 4-0 lead on baskets by Deng and Dalen Leftbear, but Kindred got it back to 4-4. The Vikings’ first two points came on a steal and a run down the court by Jakob Starcevic. Then Deng missed a three-pointer, and Kindred tied it on the next play.
“I knew it was gonna be like that. They’re so defensive-oriented,” Smith said. “I knew it was gonna be an intense game like that, and everybody was tight.”
FW/M edged out Kindred at the end of the first quarter, leading 9-7. Leftbear and Deng made another basket each. Starcevic had five of those seven points for Kindred, and seven of the Vikings’ first nine leading into the second quarter.
The Indians came out with more energy in the early minutes of the second quarter, running their lead up to 15-9 after baskets by Leftbear, Deng and Wade Nestell. Hunter Bindas missed a layup under the Indians’ pressure. Brooks Bakko made back-to-back baskets, though, cutting FW/M’s lead to 15-13.
Ronald McKay found a way to twist his body and make an impressive layup for the Indians, finishing the first half on a positive note with a 17-13 lead.
FW/M came out with even more spark in the third quarter, opening its best run yet in the third quarter. Marial Deng made his first four points of the game, and Leftbear made a nice maneuver move to make a layup. The Indians now had a double-digit lead at 23-13, fueled by an 8-0 run.
There were looks of frustration and exasperation on both benches with how many times the ball kept getting turned over, especially on Kindred’s side. This is a team that isn’t used to losing, and it had scored only 13 total points roughly 60% of the way into the game.
Leftbear made the first three of the game for either team, making it 30-17. Deng missed a pair of free throws, and Bakko missed a running dunk for Kindred. When the third quarter was done — and after three more points by Leftbear — the Indians led 33-22.
Just eight more minutes to go.
The fourth quarter began with three quick baskets in succession. Peraza, Bakko and Starcevic each made one in efficient fashion, prompting a timeout called from the FW/M bench. That 11-minute cushion became five points in a hurry.
Despite a brief rest during the timeout, Kindred went right back to scoring with Karson Ouse, who made it 33-30. Dorvan McKay got the Indians on the board in the fourth quarter, but Ouse, who had come off the bench, responded with a three-pointer that made it 35-33.
Leftbear, trying to do a hero’s work, shot right back with a three of his own. Ouse then scored two more baskets, sandwiched by a D. Deng field goal. Jack Davis missed a three for Kindred, but Ouse became Kindred’s savior and FW/M’s nemesis. His random spurt of nine points got the Vikings within a 40-37 margin.
Kindred kept rolling with two field goals, giving the team its first lead of the game with about three minutes left. Deng made another to briefly put the Indians back on top, trying to fuel FW/M with his muscle and athleticism like he has so many times this season. But Starcevic rejoined the party after a timeout, giving Kindred back a 43-42 lead.
The Indians still weren’t letting up. M. Deng confidently swished a three, quieting a Kindred crowd that had been yelling at the top of its lungs all quarter, motivating these kids to pursue this comeback. Ouse tried to stab another thorn into FW/M’s side, but he shot an airball — a miss that was swiftly rebounded by Bakko, who made the layup to tie the game.
With the Indians in possession of the ball, Bakko picked off an attempted pass from Nestell. The screams from Kindred’s sideline began again, and Bakko sprinted down the court. Leftbear ran alongside and tried to block him, but he couldn’t stop Bakko from scoring the go-ahead field goal with less than 40 seconds on the clock.
Ouse made one of two free throw attempts, keeping it a one-possession game but forcing FW/M to go for three. The Indians passed the ball around looking for an opening; their best shot was in D. Deng’s hands, but he couldn’t make a clean shot with Owen Hoyme all over him.
The Indians couldn’t score one last basket, and they lost 48-45.
“Their little changeup zone caught us,” Smith said. “I thought we were prepared for it, but we had some bad possessions down the stretch. I thought we could have done a better job getting the ball into the right hands, which we didn’t.”
The Indians saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end, a run they’d had going since starting the season 0-2.
“It’s nothing to hang your heads about,” Smith said. “This is our 12th game of the year. It’s midseason… This game was against a really, really good team.”
FW/M’s next opponent will be a region foe in Thompson. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Friday at Four Winds High School.
Joseph “Mojo” Hill is a reporter covering Lake Region sports for the Devils Lake Journal. Contact him on Twitter @mojohill22 or at jhill@devilslakejournal.com for any tips, questions or story ideas.
