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Frosh Prince

Maple Grove Rallies Behind Auer In Fourth

Maple Grove’s Peter Auer sets up the offense during non-league boys basketball action against Clymer on Monday evening. P-J photo by Scott Reagle

For three quarters of Monday evening’s non-league matchup with Clymer, Maple Grove’s Pete Auer was having a quiet night.

But the Red Dragons freshman guard made his presence felt in the final six minutes.

Auer tied the game with a 3-pointer with 5:38 remaining, stole an inbounds pass and scored with 4:10 remaining, and added another basket on the Red Dragons’ next possession to help Maple Grove pull away for a 64-53 win.

“He’s done that in a few games this year,” Fischer said of Auer’s late-game prowess. “We’ve had three wins coming from behind in the fourth quarter. A lot of that is spearheaded by Dalton DuBois playing great defense and sometimes Peter just goes off.”

The Red Dragons held a 30-29 lead at halftime, but saw their advantage disappear in the third quarter as the Pirates (7-5) began to figure out the hosts’ tenacious full-court trapping press. Clymer opened the quarter with an 11-2 run, keyed by 6 points from junior Dustin Neckers and a 3-pointer from senior Josh VanEarden.

Clymer’s Dustin Neckers shoots over Maple Grove’s Michel Padilla while the Red Dragons’ Peter Auer looks on during Monday’s non-league boys basketball game. P-J photo by Scott Reagle

“We figured it out in the second quarter. Just taking care of the ball was the big thing. By the half, we started shifting things around a little bit,” Clymer coach Dan White said. “The boys moved the ball around and started attacking. We came out in the third quarter and exploited them a little bit.”

Maple Grove (5-8) ended up turning the ball over seven times during the third quarter, but kept the game within reach thanks in large part to a three-point play from senior Michel Padilla on its final possession of the period.

“We felt like we’ve got to get the ball down to those guys. We were turning the ball over and we had two guys that should’ve been getting the ball,” Fischer said of the importance of Padilla and senior Truman Purslow. “Once they settled down and started delivering it to them, that was a big change for us.”

After building their lead to 50-45 early in the fourth quarter, the Pirates went eight straight possessions without scoring until Neckers’ basket in the final two minutes. Sophomore Carson Crist then hit big back-to-back 3-pointers for the Red Dragons to essentially put the game away.

“That steal after (Auer’s) 3 was kind of a little bit of a back breaker for us,” White said. “I tried to get Svetz and (Dylan) Davis back in, but they had momentum going their way and it was hard to get it back in our favor. Crist hit some big 3s for them at the end.”

Clymer looked like it might get run out of the building in the first quarter as it turned the ball over on 10 of its first 13 possessions, and the Red Dragons finally gained some traction late in the action as junior Bryan Clark, junior Jameson Delong and sophomore Taige Jones all came off the bench to hit back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers as the hosts pulled out to a 21-10 lead after eight minutes.

“I felt like we were playing so good, but you look up at the scoreboard and you don’t have a big lead,” Fischer said. “Those guys, that’s why I put them in at that point. Bryan has come so far as a shooter. I needed some kind of a spark.”

The Pirates were able to hang around, and took their first lead at 25-24 with 2:50 left in the second quarter thanks in large part to the play of senior Justin Svetz, who finished the opening 16 minutes with 11 of his team-high 15 points.

“He did a lot of nice things. It’s been nice to have him back after his ankle injury early in the season,” White said. “Offensively and defensively he does a nice job. He works hard on the boards and attacks the basket.”

NOTES: Purslow led Maple Grove with 11 rebounds and Padilla had 10. … The Red Dragons were 24 of 51 from the field, including 8 of 21 from 3-point range, and went 8 of 20 from the free throw line. … Junior Jordan Wade led Clymer with six rebounds while senior Dylan Davis had four assists and VanEarden picked up three steals. … The Pirates shot 22 of 45 from the field, including 2 of 13 from 3-point range, and went 7 of 12 from the free throw line. … Maple Grove won the jayvee game, 52-40, behind 25 points from Ayden Reagle. Lucas Willink led Clymer with 14 points.

CLYMER (53)

CNeckers 0 0 0, VanEarden 2 2 7, Svetz 7 0 15, Overton 4 0 8, DNeckers 5 1 11, Wade 0 2 2, Davis 3 2 8, Gustafson 1 0 2. Totals 22 7 53.

MAPLE GROVE (64)

Auer 4 0 10, Padilla 4 3 11, Crist 5 1 13, Olson 1 0 2, Jones 1 0 3, Purslow 6 3 15, DuBois 0 1 1, Delong 2 0 6, Clark 1 0 3, Rowe 0 0 0. Totals 24 8 64.

3-point goals — VanEarden, Svetz, Auer 2, Crist 2, Jones, Delong 2, Clark.

Clymer    10 19 17 7  — 53

Maple Grove    21 9  10 24 — 64

Jayvees: Maple Grove won, 52-40.

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