---

"The first time we played, it was a war," said Wildcat head boys' basketball coach Herb Jangor, "and this one wasn't much different.

Jangor was describing the latest North Branch-Chisago Lakes game in the Viking gym Tuesday, February 26. NB knotted the season series with a 43-38 win.

Viking senior Nick Perrin started the scoring with a driving layup 40 seconds into the game. With 1:04 gone, Jangor sent five fresh sets of legs into the game. The new five pressed the home team all over the floor. The Vikings broke the press and moved the ball around the perimeter until junior center John Lindstrom's long three gave the Norsemen a 5-0 lead at 15:10.

The Wildcats responded 10 seconds later. Senior Brian Jennissen drained a three from the corner before classmate Joe Knafla scored off an in-bounds pass at 13:30. That made it 5-5.

North Branch regained the lead when Perrin drew two Wildcat defenders as he faked a jumper and passed to an open Ryan Norman. The sophomore guard drained it from behind arc with 12 minutes left. At 11:40, Wildcat senior Zach Sill completed a three-point play. His putback and freethrow made it 8-8.

Two more Sill charity tosses gave CL a 10-8 lead, its first, at 10:54. Junior Jake Chambers' three 25 seconds later gave the Vikes the lead again. Senior Mark Johnson, replacing Viking sparkplug Justin Novak, whose three early fouls forced him to the bench, found Bryce Hunter open near the hoop. Hunter's layup made the Viking lead 13-10 at 7:50.

Wildcat center Josh Figini got into the box score with a freethrow before Lindstrom's drive gave the Vikings a 15-11 advantage at 6:20. The 'Cats retook the lead on a Sill drive followed by a Tyler Bouwens three ball. The visitors led 16-13 with 5:47 showing.

Jake Kovarik's two freethrows put the Vikings ahead 17-16 before Scott Leigh's twisting layup, Chris Golv's steal and breakaway and Jennissen's second three gave CL its biggest lead of the contest. With 2:18 remaining, the Wildcats led 23-17.

Chambers' off-balance turnaround at 1:50 closed the first half scoring. Chisago led 23-19 when the teams went to their locker rooms.

Kovarik, with an assist from Perrin, scored first in the bottom half. His long jumper cut the Wildcat lead to one at 16:30. A minute later Jennissen found Knafla open in the lane. Knafla's hoop made it 25-22 at 15:20.

Novak's tres knotted the score with 13:00 left, prompting Jangor to burn a timeout. After play resumed, Hunter hit a single from the stripe to put the Vikings up. Figini baskets from the lane surrounded another Novak field goal to make it 29-all at 10:55.

The Vikings took the lead for good when Hunter hit a two 25 seconds later. He scored again before Chambers slid through the defense to give the Vikings a 35-29 lead with 8:30 left.

Figini hit a pair of free shots and then went inside-outside to find Troy Aadland open in the corner. Aadland's jump shot from the corner made it 35-33 with five minutes to go.

A minute later, Perrin was fouled as he drove the lane. His two charity tosses made it 37-33. Figini made it a one point deficit when he was fouled as he scored from the paint and completed the three-point-play. It was 37-36, North Branch, with 3:52 left.

Within the minute, Perrin's three was answered by another Figini hoop. The Vikings led by two with 3:15 remaining. Only three Viking freethrows, two by Chambers and one by Perrin slipped through the cords in the last three minutes.

A Novak steal, with 40 seconds left, sealed the deal. The Vikings tied the season series at 1-1 with a 43-38 North Suburban Conference win.

Chisago Lakes 23 15 38

North Branch 19 24 43

North Branch Scoring

Ryan Norman 3

Nick Perrin 8

Jake Chambers 9

Justin Novak 6

Bryce Hunter 7

John Lindstrom 5

Jake Kovarik 5

Total 43

Chisago Lakes Scoring

Chris Golv 2

Tyler Bouwens 3

Brian Jennissen 6

Zach Sill 7

Josh Figini 12

Joe Knafla 4

Scott Leigh 2

Troy Aadland 2

Total 38

Both teams open section play tonight, Thursday, March 8, with home games at 7 p.m. The Wildcats host Fridley and the Vikings entertain Rogers. The winners will advance to the section semifinals at Park Center Tuesday, March 15.

---