By Heath Hotzler
There was plenty of evidence that Fargo Oak Grove's game against Fosston was ultra-physical on Saturday night.
A bloody elbow, a double technical for a hard foul and bodies scraping across the floor told the story.
Senior guard Shayden Akason and the Grovers love these types of games.
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Akason had 23 points to help No. 2-ranked Oak Grove to a 66-61 victory against Minnesota, Class A Fosston during the Oak Grove Shootout at the Fargo Civic Center.
"I think it was one of our more physical games of the year," Akason said. "It was fun to play in one."
Fosston (7-3) set the tone early.
Forward Drew Viken was called for a technical for a hard elbow to the face of Oak Grove's Trey Larson at 5 minutes, 9 seconds of the first quarter.
Viken, a strong 6-foot-3 forward, was ejected from the game after he was assessed with another technical for arguing the call.
Larson limped to the locker room. He later returned.
The Greyhounds limited Oak Grove to one field goal in the first quarter en route to a 16-9 lead. Fosston led 31-27 at the half.
"At the beginning of the game we let them transition too much," Akason said. "We weren't getting back. ... Our heads definitely weren't in it at the beginning, and we weren't hustling as much as we should have."
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The game turned in the Grovers' favor with another physical play.
With his team leading 41-36 in the third, Akason was sent sprawling to the ground on a hard foul by Fosston's Garrett Carlin.
Carlin attempted to help Akason to his feet, but Akason shrugged off the assistance.
Oak Grove's speedy 6-1 senior point guard had 4 points, 3 assists and a steal in the final 2 minutes of the quarter to put his team ahead 51-43.
The Grovers (15-0) led by as many as 16 points before Fosston rallied.
A 13-0 Greyhounds run cut Oak Grove's lead to 62-59 with 1:03 remaining.
"The thing with our guys all year long in that they've never quit," Fosston coach Ben Hemberger said. "... We played hard."
Fosston 16 31 43 61
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Oak Grove 9 27 51 66
FOSSTON: Goss 5 2-2 12, Arneson 3 3-4 9, Carlson 2 2-2 7, Carlin 4 6-7 14, O'Keeffe 3 1-2 7, Swanson 1 0-0 3, Paulson 1 2-4 4. Totals: 21 16-21 61.
OAK GROVE: Larson 1 0-0 2, Akason 8 4-6 23, Teigan 1 0-0 2, Holt 1 8-8 12, Dangerfield 3 0-0 6, Richards 4 1-2 9, Lloyd 4 1-2 12. Totals: 23 13-17 66.
3-pointers: Carlson, Swanson 2, Akason 3, Lloyd 3. Total fouls: F 17, OG 19. Technical fouls: Viken (2). Rebounds: F 31 (Carlin 10), OG 19 (Larson 4).
Inforum searchword: Oak Grove Grovers
Readers can reach Forum reporter
Heath Hotzler at (701) 241-5562.
Hotzler's blogs can be found
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