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Both the Chisago Lakes and North Branch boys basketball teams ended their season in the first round of the section tournament on Wednesday, March 5.

They drew the bottom two seeds in the eight team tournament since they had matching 3-23 records, but NB had swept the season series with the ‘Cats.

As the eighth seed, Chisago Lakes fell 80-56 to top-seeded Duluth Denfeld, who was 17-9 heading into the tournament. Denfeld had four scorers in double figures, led by Marnaries Ferguson’s 24. Carter Brown and Antonio Brown also teamed up to dominate CL in the paint, scoring a combined 32 points and grabbing 28 rebounds. Lee Brooks had 14 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and six steals for the Hunters.

North Branch was seeded seventh and took on the second seeded Hibbing Bluejackets in the opening round, who had an identical 17-9 record to Denfeld.

North Branch was feisty early, keeping the game tied late in the first half at 21-21, but the Bluejackets went on a 9-2 run to end the first stanza and then turned on the gas in the second half to pull away.

Vinny Dufeck led the Vikes with 17 points and Jacob Knoespel had 14. Raymond Brau, Hibbing’s leading scorer, paced the Jackets’ with 19 points, and Adam Reckmeyer chipped in 17.

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