For the second year in a row the Pequot Lakes made it to the state tournament.
A balanced attack helped the Patriots get fifth place in Class 2A and earned them three spots on the Brainerd Dispatch All-Area First Team.
Pequot Lakes’ senior Grant Loge was named to the All-Tournament Team for Class 2A and led the Patriots in scoring at 14.4 points a game. Senior Gavin Kennen averaged 14.1 points and led the Patriots in field goal percentage at 55.2%. Senior Eli Laposky dished 137 assists (4.2 per game) and also rained down 79 3-pointers to be the third Pequot player on the First Team.
The Brainerd Warriors won the Central Lakes Conference title for the second year in a row to go along with 22 wins. Brainerd also earned three players on the First Team.
Brainerd senior Johnny Pecarich led the area in scoring, free throw shooting and in 3-pointers made to be the Dispatch All-Area Player of the Year for a second year in a row. Senior Nick Evanson led the area in field goal percentage at 59.6% and averaged 16.1 points. Junior Eli Hoelz was the third Warrior to average more than 15 points a game and led the team in assists with 124 (4.4 per game).
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Little Falls senior Beau Thoma was the only other player in the area to average 20 points per game at 20.3 to be on the First Team. Crosby-Ironton junior James Stokman led the area in assists with 159 (5.7 per game) to be on the First Team. Pillager sophomore Christian Hooge snatched the most rebounds in the area with 383 (13.7 per game) to be on the First Team. Aitkin senior Eli Christy swiped 95 steals to lead the area and also be on the First Team.
Wadena-Deer Creek junior Peyton Church and Staples-Motley senior Isaiah Schultz round out the 12 players to make the First Team.
Players are nominated by their coaches and voted on by the Dispatch sports department.
Eli Christy, Aitkin
Senior, guard
Finished with 430 points (16.5 per game), 142 rebounds (5.5 per game), 69 assists (2.7 per game) and 95 steals. He shot 41.1% (151-367) from the field, 25.6% (23-90) from 3-point and 66.9% (105-157) from the free throw line.
Johnny Pecarich, Brainerd
Senior, guard
Finished with 672 points (24.0 per game), 171 rebounds (6.1 per game), 99 assists (3.5 per game), 38 steals and 24 blocked shots. He shot 46.1% (244-529) from the field, 36.9% (90-244) from 3-point and 86.2% (94-109) from the free throw line.
Nick Evanson, Brainerd
Senior, guard
Finished with 451 points (16.1 per game), 190 rebounds (6.8 per game), 81 assists (2.9 per game), 24 steals and 11 blocked shots. He shot 59.6% (183-307) from the field, 39% (32-82) from 3-point and 69.7% (53-76) from the free throw line.
Eli Hoelz, Brainerd
Junior, guard
Finished with 423 points (15.1 per game), 114 rebounds (4.1 per game), 124 assists (4.4 per game) and 53 steals. He shot 48.8% (163-334) from the field, 36% (45-125) from 3-point and 74.3% (52-70) from the free throw line.
James Stokman, Crosby-Ironton
Senior, guard
Finished with 441 points (15.8 per game), 202 rebounds (7.2 per game), 159 assists (5.7 per game) and 42 steals. He shot 35% (141-402) from the field, 31% (64-204) from 3-point and 79% (95-121) from the free throw line.
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Beau Thoma, Little Falls
Senior, guard
Finished with 548 points (20.3 per game), 247 rebounds (9.1 per game), 94 assists (3.5 per game), 79 steals and 14 blocked shots. He shot 49.8% (211-424) from the field, 34.4% (32-93) from 3-point and 66.2% (94-142) from the free throw line.
Eli Laposky, Pequot Lakes
Senior, guard
Finished with 441 points (13.3 per game), 132 rebounds (4.0 per game), 137 assists (4.2 per game). He shot 39.6% (157-396) from the field, 31.6% (79-250) from 3-point and 63.1% (48-76) from the free throw line.
Gavin Kennen, Pequot Lakes
Senior, forward
Finished with 465 points (14.1 per game), 168 rebounds (5.1 per game), 40 assists (1.2 per game), 23 steals and 24 blocked shots. He shot 55.2% (185-335) from the field, 40.4% (21-52) from 3-point and 70.5% (74-105) from the free throw line.
Grant Loge, Pequot Lakes
Senior, forward
Finished with 476 points (14.4 per game), 205 rebounds (6.2 per game), 54 assists (1.6 per game), 35 steals and 21 blocked shots. He shot 48.4% (183-378) from the field, 35.4% (45-127) from 3-point and 65% (65-100) from the free throw line.
Christian Hooge, Pillager
Sophomore, center
Finished with 517 points (18.5 per game), 383 rebounds (13.7 per game), 66 assists (2.4 per game), 44 steals and 18 blocked shots. He shot 44.6% (222-498) from the field and 65.8% (73-111) from the free throw line.
Isaiah Schultz, Staples-Motley
Senior, guard
Finished with 467 points (18.7 per game), 232 rebounds (9.3 per game), 48 assists (1.9 per game), 64 steals and 25 blocked shots. He shot 48% (181-377) from the field, 37.5% (42-113) from 3-point and 58.3% (63-108) from the free throw line.
Peyton Church, Wadena-Deer Creek
Junior, guard
Finished with 408 points (15.1 per game), 100 rebounds (3.7 per game), 54 assists (2.0 per game) and 24 steals. He shot 43.4% (149-344) from the field, 38.8% (59-152) from 3-point and 71.4% (40-56) from the free throw line.
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