It turned out to be the right play, but Travis Hand suggested a small change that turned out to be huge.
"We had a play set up and I told coach we don't want to run that play," said Hand, who scored 14 points. "I told him different and I knew it was going in."
Hand got the ball and scored the eventual game-winning layup with 11 seconds left, helping the Moorhead boys basketball team rally from a 13-point halftime deficit to a 57-55 win over Detroit Lakes on Thursday at the Moorhead gym.
Detroit Lakes (17-7) called a timeout with 8.4 seconds and set up a play where Connor Hedstrom had a lay-up that skimmed around the rim and out.
It ended a memorable night for the Spuds (15-7) and Lakers for different reasons.
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The Lakers - led by junior guard Joe Mollberg, who scored 16 points in the first half - jumped out to a 37-24 halftime lead.
"When we went in at halftime, (Coach Corey Zimmerman) spoke to us," said senior forward Jared Widner. "And when he's upset, he's a scary, scary man."
Fear worked because it prompted Moorhead to open the half on a 20-4 run, scoring 16 consecutive points at one point.
Widner, who finished with 17 points, was a large part of that. The 6-foot-4 Widner was able to post up on smaller players creating confidence with each layup he made. It spread to his jump shot and helped Moorhead climb back into the game.
"I knew we were playing well, but I really didn't think about it," he said. "When there was a break I looked up at the scoreboard, saw we were up by three and was surprised. I was like, 'How did we do that?'"
That was probably a question Detroit Lakes coach Robb Flint was asking himself too.
A large part of the comeback was stopping Mollberg and Josh Stalberger, the duo that has led the Lakers in scoring this season.
Mollberg was limited to two points in the second half while Stalberger, who scored his 1,000th point on Tuesday, was held to just two points.
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Hand and Widner agreed there was plenty to take from the game, like the Spuds sending the Lakers to 10-2 on the road this season.
"We also have two games left before sections," said Widner. "So hopefully, it will give us a chance to do some things like get over our slow starts."
MOORHEAD: Ellingson 1 0-0 2, Lien 2 0-1 16, Widner 8 1-3 17, Wilmer 1 0-0 2, Hand 6 2-4 14, Watnemo 1 0-0 2, Boschee 2 0-2 4. Half: 24. Totals: 21 3-10 57
DETROIT LAKES: Mollberg 6 0-0 18, McLeod 0 0-0 12, Hedstrom 0 0-0 3, Labat 2 1-2 5, Stalberger 1 0-0 2, Hutchinson 0 0-0 3, K. McLeod 2 2-2 12. Totals: 11 3-4 55
Halftime: M 24, DL 37. 3-pointers: M, Lien 4. DL, McLeod 4, Mollberg 2, K. McLeod 2, Hutchinson 1, Hedstrom 1. Total fouls: M 3, DL 12.
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Ryan S. Clark at (701) 241-5548.
Clark's Force blog can be found
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