Carrier scores career-high 31 in win over Park Rapids

PHOTO: Tami Sweep

DETROIT LAKES, MN (KDLM) – Mason Carrier scored a career-high 31 points in a 78-69 win over Park Rapids at the Lakeshirts Fieldhouse on Tuesday night to put the end to a three-game losing streak.

“Park Rapids came into the game 15-5,” said head coach Brett Maass after the game. “When you win that many games and lose that little…that’s the mark of a good basketball team. They’ve got some really good players.”

The Lakers and Panthers were tied at 32-32 at halftime before Carrier and the Lakers erupted for a 46-point second half. Carrier buried seven threes (four in the second half) to help the Lakers build a 10-point late in the game.

“We’ve seen this from Mason all season long,” says Maass. “He’s got the ability to knock down five, six, seven threes in a row. It was good to see him get hot because he’s struggled a little bit over the last couple of games. Nate Cihak (18 points) was solid in this game, too. All nine of our guys had their moments. Oliver Quam had some big rebounds, Chris Breeden had some big plays, Christian Solberg hit a big three for us late…nine guys in, and all nine contributed in this one.”

Senior Caeden Ylineimi, one of the first guys off the bench for Detroit Lakes, left the game in the first half with an ankle injury and was on crutches after the game while he signed autographs with his team on Autograph Night.

“It’s been a tough year for Caeden with those kinds of things,” said Maass. “Ankle stuff, and he started off the season pretty sick so he missed some time there, too. One thing I told him after the game is that I appreciate his positivity. He’s come to practice every day, he’s never done the ‘woe-is-me’ thing. He’s a great teammate and I really appreciate that. That’s going to stand out more than anything with Caeden. It’s going to serve him moving forward in his life. He’s a tough kid. We’ll see how the ankle is on Thursday. If he’s gotta miss Thursday, we’ll see how he looks on Friday and then moving forward.”

With the win, the Lakers improve to 9-14 and end their three-game losing streak. The Lakers have two more games to finish out the regular season: at Staples-Motley on Thursday against a six-win Cardinals team, then Senior Night at the Lakeshirts Fieldhouse on Friday to close out the regular season vs 18-7 Crosby-Ironton…a team that the Lakers beat 97-77 on February 14th.

Park Rapids is now 15-7. They’ll finish the season with home games against Wadena-Deer Creek on Thursday and Pequot Lakes on Friday.

SCORING

Park Rapids 32 37 – 68

Detroit Lakes 32 46 – 78

DL – M. Carrier 31, Cihak 18, Marsh 9, Solberg 5, E. Carrier 4, Berg 4, Breeden 4, Mohr 2, Quam 1

PR – Michaelson 27, Larson 12, Jackson 11, Morris 8, Haman 5, Yliniemi 4, VanBatavia 2