SIOUX FALLS – The Aberdeen Central Golden Eagles have had some big wins so far this season, but none quite like the one they recorded on Saturday afternoon.
Spencer Barr hit a shot in the closing seconds and the Central defense was up to the challenge after that to secure a 57-55 non-conference boys’ basketball win.
Unlike some previous notable victories, this one came on the road.
“We had struggled on the road,” said Central coach Brent Norberg. “We talked all week, we are going to have to play on the road in the SoDak16, so we want to find a way to start playing better on the road and we did that today.”
With the score tied at 55-55, Barr nailed a foul-line jumper with 18 seconds left. Central still needed to stop the Knights on the other end of the floor and did just that to preserve the win.
“It’s cool to win a game by taking a shot at the buzzer, but as a coach I really like it when you get a stop to win a game,” Norberg said. “Like our guys dig in to hold down a pretty good offensive team. One time, can you dig in and get a stop to win it, and our guys were able to do that. That was fun to see. It’s fun to see our kids rewarded for working hard.”
The Golden Eagles played a solid first half and took a seven-point lead into the break.
That advantage did not last long as OG quickly tied the game early in the third quarter. Central rebuilt the lead and was up by nine before the Knights scored 10 unanswered points setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
“Both times we got a lead, they came at us hard,” Norberg said. “And then when they took the lead at the end, I was glad to see our guys just find a way to just make one more play.”
As a result, the Golden Eagles were able to defeat OG for the first time since Norberg’s first year at Central 18 years ago.
The victory came less than 24 hours after Central defeated Brookings in a road game, giving the Eagles a shot of confidence heading into the final weeks of the season.
“We just want our kids to believe they can go out on the road and win a game,” Norberg said, “and this weekend helped by doing it twice.”
Not only did Central win its first road games of the season in less than 24 hours, the Golden Eagles did so in completely different fashion.
“Friday night we didn’t shoot the ball very well and we found a way to win. Tonight, we shot the ball pretty well and then got kind of stymied, and then got the stop at the end,” Norberg said. “We kind of won two different ways. When you can do that, that gives you confidence that you can find a way to win on the road.”
Barr finished with 20 points to lead a balanced attack for the Eagles. Camden Fauth followed with 12, Parker Lemer 11, and Carter Dingman 10. Lemer also grabbed a dozen rebounds.
Zander Benz had 20 points and Matthew Eng 18 for the Knights.
Central, 5-10 on the season, is back in action Tuesday with a game at Sioux Falls Roosevelt, weather permitting. The Golden Eagles have back-to-back home games on the weekend, hosting top-rated Sioux Falls Jefferson on Friday night and Watertown on Saturday afternoon.
ABERDEEN CENTRAL (5-10): Carter Dingman 4 0-0 10, Karson Carda 1 0-0 2, Jeff Carlson 0 0-2 0, Parker Lemer 2 6-6 11, Spencer Barr 5 7-8 20, Camden Fauth 4 0-0 12, Brian Fritz 1 0-0 2. Totals 17-45 13-16 57.
O’GORMAN (6-12): Peyton Hage 2 0-0 4, Hayden Groos 2 0-0 5, Matthew Eng 7 1-1 18, Radley Mauney 2 0-0 4, Bennett Dannenbring 1 0-0 2, Sullivan Schlimgen 1 0-0 2, Zander Benz 6 8-9 20. Totals 21-48 9-10 55.
Aberdeen Central 17 36 48 57
O’Gorman 16 39 43 55
3-point field goals – Dingman 2, Lemer, Barr 3, Fauth 4; Groos, Eng 3. Total fouls – Aberdeen Central 13; O’Gorman 16. Rebounds – Aberdeen Central 30 (Lemer 12); O’Gorman 24 (Mauney 4, Dannenbring 4, Schlimgen 4, Benz 4). Turnovers – Aberdeen Central 12; O’Gorman 9. Steals – Aberdeen Central 7 (Carlson 3); O’Gorman 3.
