STAPLES — Pillager’s Griffin Decker led the Huskies with 18 points as they beat the Staples-Motley Cardinals 65-53 Thursday, Jan 14.

Aj Gratke added 14 points and Cole Hiltner 12 for the Huskies in the non-conference game.

Staples-Motley’s Max Strickland and Sivert Klefsaas each tallied 11 points to lead the Cardinals.

Staples-Motley 24 29 -- 53

Pillager 35 30 -- 65

STAPLES-MOTLEY

Max Strickland 11, Lyle Brownell 9, Chandler Braith 2, Isaiah Schultz 8, Sivert Klefsaas 11, Adam Oberlander 8, Damon Halvorson 3, Hunter Miller 1. FT 14-21 (67%). Overall: 0-1. Next: at Detroit Lakes 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16.

PILLAGER

Grayson Beard 2, Eli Shingledecker 4, Tytan Skeesick 6, Griffin Decker 18, Parker Schaefer 2, Cole Hiltner 12, Aj Gratke 14. FT 11-23 (48%). Overall: 1-0. Next: hosts Wadena-Deer Creek 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16.

Cass Lake-Bena 85,

Pine River-Backus 77

PINE RIVER — Pine-River Backus’ Brady Bristow tallied 18 points for the Tigers as they fell 85-77 to the Cass Lake-Bena Panthers in a Northland Conference game Thursday, Jan 14.

Champ Howard added 15 points while Jared Hamilton and Kyosuke Marcum each recorded 13 points.

Cass Lake-Bena 36 49 -- 85

Pine River-Backus 38 39 -- 77

CASS LAKE-BENA

Jauquin Sargent 3, Dominic Fairbanks 23, Kayden Uritin 20, Leroy Fairbanks 23, Devin Stangle 2, Damion Lanham 14.

PINE RIVER-BACKUS

Brady Bristow 18, Champ Howard 15, Jared Hamilton 13, Kyosuke Marcum 13, Rian Struss 4, Carson Travis 6, Irvin Tulenchik 6, Robert Bueckers 2. FT 10-15 (67%). Conference: 0-1. Overall: 0-1. Next: at Laporte 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan 21.