Bobcats come up short against Golden Eagles

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BROOKINGS – Coming off a stretch where Brookings took it on the chin against O’Gorman, then had their game against Brandon Valley called off due to health and safety guidelines, the Bobcats were looking to get back into the win column against Aberdeen Central, the first of four straight games in the confines of their home gym.

The Golden Eagles prevailed, however, claiming a 67-56 win over Brookings on Thursday night inside Bob Jostad Gymnasium.

The 56 points are the high-water mark for the Bobcats this season, and their highest total since scoring 68 against Fairmont, Minn. on Jan. 25, 2020.

Coach Travis Engebretson was pleased with the offensive output despite the final score.

“Offensively I felt we did a nice job tonight of sharing and moving the basketball,” Engebretson said. “Our kids should take something away from tonight; offensively, that’s one of our highest performances in a long time. There’s no consolation for losing, but I’m very proud in that the kids came out and battled hard and we put together a game plan yesterday that the kids did a good job executing tonight.”

Brookings and Aberdeen traded baskets in the first quarter with four different Bobcats scoring three points each. The Golden Eagles held a 16-14 advantage after a quarter.

Jake Ammann got a hot hand going in the second quarter to keep the game tight, scoring eight of his 11 first half points in the quarter including a pair of triples, but after a Nathan Lease bucket gave the ‘Cats a one-point lead, the Golden Eagles’ one-two punch of Sam Rohlfs and Alec Voegele pushed the visitors lead to seven at the half, 33-26.

With Ammann scoring, Aberdeen Central turned some of their focus on him which allowed Brookings to spread the ball around as Lease had five points at the half, while Zach Moe and Jack Even each had three.

Brookings came out firing in the third quarter and matched the Golden Eagles shot for shot, but for all the good that came from the offense in the third quarter, the defense wasn’t able to do its part to help get the Bobcats back in the game.

“The problem was we were trading buckets back and forth,” Engebretson said, “and if you’re going to go on a run it has got to be on the defensive side of things.”

Brookings did outscore Aberdeen Central 17-15 in the quarter, but still trailed by five heading into the final eight minutes.

The Golden Eagles’ duo of Rohlfs and Voegele took over in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 of Aberdeen Central’s 19 points in the quarter as the lead wavered between seven and 11 most of the quarter.

Aberdeen Central outscored Brookings 19-13 in the fourth quarter to escape with the 67-56 win.

Ammann scored 20 points including 4-of-7 from deep. The senior sharpshooter took advantage of the open looks afforded him as the Golden Eagles buckled down on two of the Bobcats’ primary scores in Even and Moe.

“They put their two best defenders on Jack [Even] and Zach [Moe] so that was part of their game plan coming in,” Engebretson said. When Jake [Ammann] starts knocking down shots the offense tends to revolve around that guy with the hot hand, and after he got a couple shots to fall it had their defense focusing on him which opened up some other lanes.”

Lease added 11 points and grabbed six rebounds, while Jett Leddy chipped in with eight points and five rebounds despite spending plenty of time on the bench in foul trouble.

Rohlfs finished with 25 points and Voegele added 14.

AJ Hase added 12 points for the Golden Eagles.

“Give Aberdeen credit, they’ve got a nice ball squad with two of the best players in the state in Voegele and Rohlfs,” Engebretson said.

Brookings shot 50 percent from the field, 21-of-42, while Aberdeen Central made two more shots on the same number of attempts, 23-of-42 for 55 percent.

Both teams shot 70 percent at the free throw line, but the Golden Eagles (14-of-20) both shot and made twice as many shots as the Bobcats (7-of-10) made.

Brookings outrebounded Aberdeen Central 24-23 and did so without post Brock Longville who is out for the year after shoulder surgery.

The Bobcats (1-4) play host to Fairmont, Minn. on Saturday as part of a doubleheader with the Bobcat girls’ basketball team.

Sub-varsity games get underway at 11:30. The girls’ game is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. with the boys to follow at approximately 4 p.m.

ABERDEEN CENTRAL 67, BROOKINGS 56

Aberdeen Central (7-2)

Sam Rohlfs 9-15 5-8 25, Alec Voegele 5-8 3-5 14, AJ Hase 3-5 4-4 12, Jackson Dorsett 3-6 1-1 9, Noah Behrends 2-3 0-0 4, Jameson Palmer 0-0 1-2 1, Brady Rohrbach 1-3 0-0 2, Carter Dingman 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 23-42 14-20 67.

Brookings (1-4)

Jake Ammann 7-12 2-2 20, Nathan Lease 4-7 2-2 11, et Leddy 3-6 2-2 8, Sam Hardin 3-7 1-2 7, Zach Moe 2-7 0-2 5, Jack Even 1-2 0-0 3, Jaxton Eck 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 21-42 7-10 56.

Aberdeen Central 16 17 15 19 – 67

Brookings 14 12 17 13 – 56

FG% – AC 54.8%, BRK 50%. 3-point Field Goals – AC 7-15 (Dingman 0-2, Voegele 1-1, Dorsett 2-4, Rohlfs 2-4, Hase 2-4), BRK 7-17 (Moe 1-3, Ammann 4-7, Hardin 0-1, Even 1-2, Leddy 0-1, Lease 1-3). Rebounds – AC 23 (Voegele 5, Behrends 5, Rohlfs 5), BRK 24 (Lease 6). Assists – AC 8 (Voegele 4), BRK 8 (Leddy 4). Steals – AC 7 (Rohlfs 3), BRK 5 (Ammann 3). Blocks - AC 1 (Dingman 1), BRK 0.  Turnovers – AC 7, BRK 13. Total fouls – AC 12, BRK 13. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls – none.

Junior Varsity

 Brookings 46, Aberdeen Central 34

Austin Clark scored 14 points including three makes from long range as Brookings picked up a 46-34 win.

Nathan Lease had seven points and three rebounds, while Jaxton Eck scored six points and grabbed eight rebounds.

Sam Conrad also scored six points and dished out three assists.

Sophomore

 Brookings 52, Aberdeen Central 48

Brookings trailed 25-20 at the half but used an 18-7 third quarter to take the lead and hold on for the 52-48 win.

Clark scored 16 points and had eight rebounds, as well as three assists.

Owen Burns scored 11 points and had five rebounds, while Ben Moret scored nine points and had five assists.

Maxwell Engebretson added eight points and six rebounds.

Freshman “A”

 Aberdeen Central 40, Brookings 39

Jon Kahler led the Bobcats with 20 points.

Tane Freidrich added seven points, while Payton Stoel scored six points.

Freshman “B”

 Brookings 42, Aberdeen Central 32

Patrick Espinoza and Krayton Bergstrom each scored 11 points to lead the Bobcats to the win.

Connor May chipped in with seven points.