Northfield Boys Basketball Holds Off Faribault for Win

The Minnesota Basketball News #10 ranked Class 3A Northfield Raiders defeated the Faribault Falcons 75-71 tonight in Northfield. The Falcons led 9-4 and 13-9 before the Raiders took the lead for good and enjoyed a 48-32 halftime lead. Faribault whittled the lead to 10, 11 or 12 repeatedly in the second half only to see Northfield punch it back up to 15 and 16 points.

The Falcons made a final push and had the deficit cut to a single possession but Northfield made their free throws to secure the victory. The Raiders have size across the board with a starting front line of 6'5, 6'7, 6'8. They have more size coming off the bench presenting some match-up problems for Faribault. Northfield did an excellent job of attacking the basket and getting to the free throw line.

The Raiders were 30 of 42 and the Falcons 19 of 22 from the free throw line which proved to be the difference in the game. 6'7 senior Mason Zick scored 23 points to lead a Northfield attack that had five players in double figures.

6'5 sophomore Nick Ehlers scored 9 of Faribault's first 11 points and finished with 22, 6'4 senior Joe Palmer had 19 second half points and finished with 26.

My unofficial statistics had each team with 14 turnovers in the game.

Faribault made their run in the second half due to something we all learned in kindergarten. Sharing the ball. The Falcons executed terrific passes from Ehlers, Abdi Abdullahi, Palmer and Prange in their second half comeback. Those four players earned our Faribault State Farm Insurace agents Faribault players of the game.

Northfield is 6-3 in the Big 9 and 9-3 overall and Faribault now 4-6 in the league and 5-7 overall. The Falcons travel to Rochester John Marshall Friday to face Matthew Hurt and the Rockets. The game will be broadcast on POWER 96 Radio, 95.9 FM. Download the FREE POWER 96 app and listen worldwide.

Northfield hosts Winona Friday.

Other boys basketball scores from Tuesday: