Junior forward Matt Miller made a pair of free throws with eight seconds to play Saturday afternoon as Annandale defeated Esko 59-58 in the Minnesota Class AA high school boys third-place game at Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul.
The Eskomos (27-6) rallied from a six-point deficit with 2:16 to play, outscoring Annandale 9-2 for a
58-57 lead with 16 seconds remaining. Marc Peterson connected on a pair of 3-point field goals and Kory Deadrick added a 3-pointer.
Annandale (22-10) scored the game's first 10 points and led 19-6 late in the first half before Esko scored 10 straight points and was within 25-21 at the half. Until the game's closing seconds, the Eskomos led just twice -- 39-38 and 42-41.
Deadrick led Esko with 28 points and Peterson added 24, both are juniors. Deadrick also had 14 rebounds.
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Miller was Annandale's top scorer with 27 points and had 10 rebounds. No one else scored in double figures. The Cardinals scored their final nine points from the free-throw line and were 20 of 32 for the game.
Annandale 25-34--59
Esko 21-37--58
Annandale -- Matt Miller 11-14 5-9 27; Brett Ahsenmacher 2-7 5-9 9; Brett Fobbe 1-5 5-8 8; Kyler Fobbe 3-3 1-2 8; John Kalthoff 1-2 0-0 3; Chase Knickerbocker 0-1 2-2 2; Andrew Fort 0-1 2-2 2; Eric Navratil 0-0 0-0 0; Tanner Olean 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-34 20-32 59.
3-point goals -- Kalthoff 1-2; Fobbe 1-3; Fobbe, Kyler 1-1
Esko -- Kory Deadrick 9-18 5-6 28; Marc Peterson 8-13 2-2 24; Jaxson Turner 1-6 1-4 3; Bobby Wright 1-2 0-0 2; Nate Johnson 0-2 1-2 1; Aaron Olson 0-3 0-0 0; Ben Hanson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-45 9-14 58.
3-point goals -- Peterson 6-10; Deadrick 5-11.
