03/19/2025
Survive and Advance
Waseca 49, Pequot Lakes 45
By JIM LUTGENS
Pioneer Sports Editor
Late in the second half Tuesday night at Target Center in Minneapolis, it was oh so clear for the Waseca High School boys' basketball team and its faithful fan following.
The Bluejays were in trouble.
Facing Pequot Lakes, the No. 7 team in the eight-team state tournament, the second-seeded Bluejays may have counted on an easier path to the state semifinals. What they didn't count on was producing perhaps their poorest game of the season in terms of basketball ex*****on.
It led to a lot of excitement.
Coach Seth Anderson called a time out with five minutes left in regulation and the Bluejays - ice cold all evening from the field - trailed the Patriots 41-35 at the 4:49 mark. They couldn't buy a basket, convert a turnover or even make a free throw, going 0-for-8 at the line to start the second half.
But the Bluejays, in particular senior guard Damarius Russell, refused to fold. Somehow, the Blue and Gold got it done.
Russell drilled two free throws with 2:03 remaining. Then he stole the ball and sank another free throw. A pair of Carson Ohnstad free throws pulled the Bluejays within 45-43 with 53 seconds left.
Pequot Lakes did not score again.
Russell came up with another steal and passed to Ohnstad, who calmly sank a three with 46 seconds left. Russell got another, yes another steal and promptly sank two free throws. Waseca won 49-45.
It was a rematch of last year's state Class AA consolation semifinal, where Waseca clearly outplayed Pequot Lakes but fell apart late as the Patriots hit some improbable threes, ending the Bluejays' season.
On Tuesday, the Bluejays' quest for a perfect season continued as they improved to 31-0. They'll face Breck Academy or Montivideo at 8 p.m. Friday at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. The winner advances to the Class AA state championship game. Pequot Lakes, which finished second in the Granite Ridge Conference behind No. 1 ranked Albany, fell to 23-8.
It would have been forgivable if the Bluejays did not expect a fierce game with Pequot Lakes, but the Patriots were bigger and better than last year. Some called it a defensive battle. Others may have said it was offensive ineptitude. Either way, it was a battle.
The Bluejays started slowly, allowing too many easy points in the paint as the Patriots built a 13-5 lead. Anderson's change from man-to-man defense to a zone paid off, and the Bluejays hit some baskets while finally took its first lead at 19-18 with 4:40 left in the first half. Both teams struggled offensively, though, and a late three pulled Pequot Lakes within 25-23 at halftime.
The second half couldn't have started much worse for the Jays. Their lead quickly became a 29-25 deficit, and from there it was back-and-forth until the Patriots seemingly took control.
Russell, a senior who has teamed with his brother Deron, a junior, to spark Waseca's season, ununofically finished with 16 points. DeRon scored 11, Ohnstad 10, Ethan Hiller 6, Isaac Feldkamp 6. Feldkamp led the Jays with 10 rebounds, with DeRon grabbing nine and Hiller securing eight.
Unoficially, Waseca shot 31 percent from the field, going 19-for-60. They were 7 of 14 at the line, with 37 rebounds (18 offensive), and nine turnovers.
The Patriots, led by Harrison Keenan with 10 points, made 36 percent of its field-goal attempts, went 2-for-5 at the line, and totaled 35 rebounds (12 offensive) and 20 turnovers, 16 in the second half.
Damarius Russell, headed to Washington State University on a football scholarship, may have had some folks thinking differently after Tuesday. All season long he's been content to play a side role as Deron took over as the team's scoring and perhaps best all-around player. It was generally agreed that Deron had proven himself the best basketball player in his family. But Tuesday's performance that saw Damarius calmly and coolly put the game in his hands and the team on his back, it was nothing short of remarkable.
