(Creston) Colton Rasmussen scored a school-record 50 points to help rally Atlantic to a 75-73 road win over Creston.
Colton Rasmussen scored a school-record 50 points in the contest. Nolan Waters tossed in 14 points, including four three-point shots. Brock Henderson scored six points, and Gavin McLaren ended the night with five.
Jake Hoyt led the Panthers with 24 points, Tony Davidson, 19, and Cael Turner knocked down 12 points. Brayden Schoon scored 9, Parker Varner 6, and Gavin Millslagle 5.
Both teams played step for step-in the first half, with the Trojans leading 20-18 at the end of the first quarter. Rasmussen led the charge for Atlantic with 14 points, and Jake Hoyt went four-for-four at the free line and led Creston with 12.
The second quarter was much the same, with nine lead changes. The Panthers managed to crawl ahead 38-34 at the break. Tony Davidson, who sat most of the first quarter with two quick fouls, scored five second-quarter points to help boost the Panthers into the lead.
Creston outscored the Trojans 11-4 to end the third quarter with a 55-45 advantage.
Parker Varner knocked down back-to-back three-point shots early in the fourth quarter, and Creston, led by Davidson, attacked the rim, adding eight points to help push the Panthers to a 57-45 advantage. However, the Panthers could not stop Rasmussen. The senior connected on nearly every spot on the floor, scoring 24 points in the fourth quarter, including a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line. Brock Henderson hit a key free throw to put the Trojans up 75-73 with five seconds left, forcing the Panthers to chuck one from half-court as time ran out.
The shots were going for Rasmussen in the first half with 22 points, held to four in the third quarter, and it was the fourth when he let loose with 24.
Atlantic Head Coach Dalton Franken had this to say during the post-game on 95.7 F.M. and live-stream on westerniowatoday.com.
Atlantic travels to St. Albert on Friday night. Creston hosts Glenwood tonight.