Sue Sitter/PCT Panthers guard Erik Foster fights off a horde of Lakers to take a shot on the basketball court in Rugby’s Charlie Hanneman Gym Jan. 6.

The Rugby Panthers began 2022 in boys’ basketball with a 54-41 win against the Des Lacs-Burlington Lakers in Rugby High’s Charlie Hanneman Gym Jan. 6.

The Panthers brought determination to the game after a close loss to Beulah in Minot Dec. 30.

The Lakers brought most of their key players with them to Rugby, however, top-scorer Carson Yale stayed on the bench due to an injury suffered in football last fall. First-year coach Chris Brown led the Lakers, swapping players from the bench often to create a mix of tough defenders and a quick offense on the floor.

After Laker Rylan Olson sank a bucket at the game’s start, the Panthers responded with a three-pointer from forward Lathan DeMontigny. Two-pointers followed from top-scorer Brody Schneibel, Gavin Schepp and Jacob Ripplinger, one of the Panthers’ JV players moved by Head Coach Mike Santjer to the varsity lineup. Santjer’s choice to bring a mix of players of his own to the floor paid off. Ripplinger would go on to put 13 points on the board for the Panthers in the game.

Rounding out the Panther scorers for the first quarter were Erik Foster and Kory Vetsch, each with two points. The Panthers held the Lakers to Olson’s bucket and one from guard Brayton Fisher. A foul on Olson gave him a chance at the free throw line, where he made one of two shots. The Panthers led 15-5 at the end of the first quarter.

The Panthers’ lead would narrow slightly in the second quarter, but Rugby stayed in command, thanks to two three-pointers from Ripplinger, a bucket shot by Schneibel and one point from a free throw by DeMontingny on a foul by Laker Brenden Hedges. The Lakers gained on the Panthers when Brown sent guard Ty Hughes in. Hughes scored six points in the quarter, the most in the quarter for the Lakers. Guard Jacob Schaefer took two trips to the free throw line after one foul by Schneibel, then another by Panthers guard Logan Harner. Schaefer made three of four attempts. Paxton Ystaas brought the Lakers’ score total to 10 for the quarter with a bucket sunk on a rebound.

In the third quarter, the Panthers added 10 to their lead with another three-pointer by Ripplinger, two buckets by Schneibel and one by Foster. The Panthers’ defense grew more aggressive, sending Lakers Olson and Fisher to the free throw line.

DeMontigny would foul out in the fourth quarter. “That’s okay. We have a lot of guys,” Santjer said after the game. We want to make life a little bit miserable for our opponents.”

Both teams did their best to make each other miserable as they racked up more points in the fourth quarter.

Hughes returned to the floor for DLB. Again, he landed three buckets. Shaefer scored one shot and drew more fouls. He made four of four free-throw shots. Olson and Ystaas each put two points on the board. The Lakers had 16 points in the fourth quarter, the most of any in the game.

The Panthers “got after it,” according to Santjer. Rugby would total 20 points in the fourth quarter, most of them from buckets sunk by Schneibel. Foster sank two of his own, then took a trip to the free throw line, where he sank a one-pointer. Forward Bryceton Deplazes, also on the JV team, landed a shot through the hoop and drew a foul, resulting in one free-throw point. Vetsch and DeMontingny each sank a two-point shot. The final buzzer sounded with the Panthers ahead by a solid, 13-point margin.

“We kind of have that ‘next guy up’ mentality,” Santjer said after the win. “And if Lathan gets in a little foul trouble, we’ve got that next guy off the bench, Kuntz or Kory or someone we rotate. So, it’s good that those guys get after it and we’re okay with that.”

“That’s what we want to do, stay after teams,” Santjer added.

Santjer said of top scorers Schneibel and Ripplinger, “Brody’s going to be a workhorse for us. He gets a lot of rebounds. He’s a big guy around the baskets, so it’s great. Jacob had a great night from the JV game to the varsity game. He shot the ball really well for us. He was super active on the offensive side, which was fantastic. Those are a big 13 points for us.”

“We had a lot of kids who stepped up for us and that was good to see,” Santjer added. “It proves that our bench is getting a little deeper.”

The Panthers would board the bus for Harvey the next evening for a basketball game in The Hornets’ Nest against HWC.

“They beat us in the CNDC so it will be nice to get a win against them,” Santjer said of HWC’s Hornets. “But we just want to keep getting better. They’re a good team, so if we can go down there and have a good performance, that will be good for us.”

“They’re excited to play Harvey,” Santjer said of the Panthers. “They know a lot of kids there, so this will be good.”