There will be no return trip to Wells Fargo Arena this year for the Algona boys basketball team, as the Bulldogs were eliminated last night in the class 3A – substate 2 first round, 60-50 against the North Polk Comets.
The lead changed hands throughout the first half, and the dust settled with North Polk leading 28-24 at intermission. The Bulldogs would never see the lead in the second half, hanging around, but never making the big run they needed to pull in front. North Polk began to gain separation early in the 4th, turning a 4 point lead into a 10 point lead with 5:08 left, as Reggie Postel drew fouls on 3 straight possessions and made all 6 free throws to make the Comet lead 52-42, their largest of the night.
Between the 4:21 mark of the 4th quarter and the 3:35 mark, Algona made their final push to get back into the game, scoring 2 points on Alex Manske free throws, getting 2 on a Landon Welp jumper from the lane, and 2 more on a Manske finish through contact on 3 straight possessions to make the score 52-48.
However, Algona went on a 3 minute scoring drought, and the Comets ultimately outscored the Bulldogs 8-2 to end the game.
The Bulldogs would shoot just 34% from the field, and 4/23 on 3 pointers on the night. Ben Helmers scored 19, and Landon Welp and Alex Manske had 12 apiece in the loss for Algona, who ends the season at 14-8. North Polk improves to 11-12, as they got 20 points from Reggie Postel and 10 off the bench from Jake Hout. The Comets move on to face Clear Lake on Thursday, as Clear Lake defeated Boone 71-39 last night.
