RUGBY (NewsDakota)- Sometimes in basketball, the start of a game can be quite damaging to a team who falls behind early.  The Carrington boys learned that tough lesson on Monday night.

The Rugby Panthers (5-3) used runs at the beginning of both halves to defeat Carrington 63-42 in non-region play on Monday night in Rugby.

It started immediately, as the Cards (3-8) turned the ball over on seven of their first eight possessions, allowing for Rugby to take an 11-0 lead and forcing Cardinal HC Randy Hooey to call not one but two early timeouts.  But behind a massive first half from Alec Threadgold, the Cards slowly rallied until they tied the game at 26 thanks to a 15-3 run in the second quarter.

But then it happened again.

Lucas Wentz hit a leaner for the lead and then with .6 on the clock, Levi Wentz hit an all-in-one-motion catch-and-shoot three and the Panthers led 31-26 at the half.  The second half started with back-to-back threes and just like that, Rugby had control again, only this time they would not let Carrington claw back, outscoring their visitors 37-16 after the 26-26 tie.

The Cardinals return to Region 2A play on Thursday night at May-Port CG with coverage on KXGT Thunder Country 98.3 beginning at around 6:45pm.

CHS            11            15             7              9                    42

RHS            23            8            15            17                    63

CARRINGTON (3-8): Alec Threadgold 14; Taylen Mehring 11; Ewan Aberle 8; Maddox McIlonie 7; Isaiah Oatis 2

RUGBY (5-3): Kiefer Fritz 20; Lucas Wentz 17; Bryaden Solem 12; Levi Wentz 7; Kasen Halvorson 6; Brody Berndt 1

FULL ARCHIVE: