Dragons chase out Wolverines for 5AA title

ST. CLOUD -- A tall, balanced, well-shooting Litchfield team took the lead early in the Section 5AA Championship game against Sibley East and didn't allow the Wolverines even a small chance to catch up, beating them 63-39 Thursday.

The Wolverines knew going into the game that they would have a challenge in going up against Litchfield's height. The tallest player for the Dragons is Robert Brusewitz, at 6-foot-11. But 6-6 forward John Carlson was a bigger threat, as he ended up pulling down 16 rebounds and making 12 points. Five-foot-11 guard Joe Patten had a game-high 20 points for Litchfield.

Also scoring in double-figures for the Dragons were Hans Hoeg, with 13 points, and 6-foot-5 guard Terry Euerle, with 11.

The Wolverines were down from the outset, finishing the first quarter with just four points in a game in which the lead never changed hands. The Wolverines put on the jets in the fourth quarter, scoring 16 points to Litchfield's 17 points, but their low scoring early in the game had set them back too far.

All 10 of Kyle DeVlaeminck's points came in the second half, including two of Sibley East's three-pointers that were so elusive against the Dragons. He scored the team's first three-pointer to begin the third quarter.

The lead scorer and rebounder for the Wolverines was 6-7 senior center Jay Stien. He made 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Jordan Berg also scored 10 points, and the only other player scoring for Sibley East was Brian Evans, with seven points.

In the first half, both teams attempted 20 shots from the field, but the Dragons outshot Sibley East 60 percent to 40 percent, and continued to outshoot them throughout the game.

The Wolverines end their season 23-5 and Litchfield advances to play the Section 6AA Champions at St. Cloud State Tuesday at 7 p.m. in a state quarterfinal match.