Esko Boys Get Overtime Win

Dec 8

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

ESKO – The Esko Eskomos were rolling along in Tuesday Night’s boys basketball game against the Hermantown Hawks that seemed to have Esko just counting the minutes till the end of the game. Someone forgot to tell Hermantown this fact as the Hawks fought their way back into the game after trailing at one point by 18 points only to fall to the Eskomos in overtime by a score of 60-58.

Esko built a big lead early in the first half and led at halftime 35-19. The Eskomos started the second half just like the first trading baskets and holding on to a lead that would range from 12-16 points for most of the second half. The Hermantown Hawks did not quit though, and with 5 minutes left in the second half the Hawks patience and good shot selections cut the lead to less than ten points.

Hermantown then caught the Eskomos reeling a bit as Esko started taking shots that they didn’t in the first half and a few turnovers suddenly saw it a tied game at 48-48 with less than a minute to go. Mike Schwartz would make a shot in the lane with under a minute to go to give Hermantown the lead at 50-48 the first lead since they lead 4-2. Adam Eskuri sank two free throws with 30 seconds left to tie the game and neither team made a basket down the stretch as the game ended tied and headed to overtime.

In overtime both teams had the lead at different points but the Eskomos would have the ball last and with 2 seconds remaining Cody Townsend drove the lane and put up a running jumper at the buzzer that fell giving the Eskomos a two point win in overtime.

“We got away from what we needed to do.” Head Coach Mike Devney told Northland Sports Online, “playing our game is what will make us successful and when we don’t we will let teams come back on us.” “Using our quickness, playing good defense and getting up and down the floor is what makes us who we are,” Devney added.

Adam Eskuri led the Eskomos with 18 points on the night, Jake Stainbrook finished with 14, Jackson Lindquist added 11, Cody Townsend had 8 points, Brent Bodie chipped in 5 and Adam Deveau rounded out the scoring with 4 points. Michael Swartz led Hermantown with 18, and Colton Zacharias and Corey Kucza both finished with 13 for the Hawks.

Esko starts the season 1-0 and will play at Duluth Central on Thursday, The Hawks fall to 1-1 on the season and the will play at Eveleth-Gilbert on Thursday night.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at Dwight@northlandsportsonline.com