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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

STATE BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

Grizzlies rout Chargers, advance to semis

Will face Ada-Borup at Target Center at 2 p.m. Friday

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS - The North Woods Grizzlies are on their way to the Target Center after defeating unseeded Westbrook - Walnut Grove, 56-39, in the quarterfinals of the state boys basketball tournament at Williams Arena. A huge second half for the Grizzlies, during which North Woods outscored the Chargers 34-20, made the difference.

The Grizzlies won the opening tipoff with junior forward Trevor Morrison taking the first basket seconds later for two points. But the Chargers’ defense, which allowed them to claim the Section 3A title in an upset, seemed to rattle the Grizzlies early.

The Grizzlies fell behind, by as much as four points, within the first few minutes of the game.

Fouls would also plague both teams in the first half with each team earning more than a half dozen.

The tables started to turn, however, with a few minutes left in the opening stanza. The Grizzlies picked up their pace and broke through the Charger defense to take back the lead.

The teams went to the break with the Grizzlies up 22-19.

The second half the game was all Grizzlies as they outhustled the Chargers to build a double-digit lead just minutes into the second half.

The Grizzlies would score 12 unanswered points midway through the second half to put the game out of reach.

Stats for the game were not immediately unavailable.

The team now faces second-seeded Ada-Borup in the semifinal round. Tipoff for the semifinals 2 p.m. at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

If the Grizzlies prevail, they will face the winner of the matchup between Spring Grove and Henning at Saturday’s championship game.