Austin Packers boys basketball team defeats Red Wing 75-65 Friday evening

In a game you heard on AM 1480 KAUS Friday night, the Austin Packers boys basketball team was looking to get back on the winning side of the ledger at Packer Gym versus Big 9 Conference and Section 1AAA foe Red Wing, and it was the Packers holding off a Winger comeback attempt in the second half to come out on top, 75-65.

The two teams battled back and forth to start the game, but as the first half progressed, the Packers slowly started to build their lead and found themselves with an 8-point lead at 25-17 before closing out the half on a 22-12 run to lead 47-29 at the halftime break.  The Packers pushed the lead to 22 at 51-29 early in the second half and looked to be in cruise control toward a lopsided victory, but the Wingers then switched from man-to-man to a 2-3 zone defensively, stymying the Austin offensive attack.  At the same time, Red Wing’s offense, led by their two top scorers Reid Hartman and Julius Koehler started to quickly reduce the Austin lead to the tune of a 22-5 run that cut the Packers lead to five at 56-51, but the Packers were able to drain three key 3-point baskets, two for Mikah Christiopherson and one for Isaac Osgood that enabled them to push the lead back to double digits on their way to the win.

Austin had five players in double figures, led by sophomore guard Cole Hebrink, who drained four of the squad’s 11 3’s in quick succession in the first half on his way to 14 points, Peyton Ransom scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half, Christopherson wound up draining four 3-pointers for the Packers Friday night for 12 points, Dakota Retterath also tallied 12 points, Jackson Clausman totaled 10 points, Isaac Osgood wound up with seven points, J’dan Stevens scored four points, Banyaan Omot chipped in two points, and Ohlhaani Omot drained a free throw for one point.

The Packers are now 7-10 in the Big 9 Conference and 8-14 overall on the season, and the squad returns to action in Northfield Tuesday night for a matchup with the Raiders in the Big 9 Conference and Section 1AAA, with tip-off at 7:30 p.m. that evening.