The Paton-Churdan boys basketball season ended Feb. 25 with a 68-46 loss to ninth-rated IKM-Manning in the Class 1A District 14 title game at Guthrie Center.
The IKM-Manning Wolves had a four point lead, 18-14, after the first quarter and built it to 10 points, 39-29, at the half. The Rockets scored only six points in the third quarter to the Wolves’ 17 and the score was 56-35 after three quarters.
Senior Noah Juergensen, the Rockets’ lead scorer with a 19.2 point average per game, was held to 13 points. When other teams have kept Juergensen from shooting other Rockets have scored above their average, but that wasn’t the case in Thursday’s game. Sophomores Joe Towers and Jake Berns, both with 12.8 point averages, were held to 10 and eight points respectively.
Junior Chase Juergensen scored six points, sophomore Charlie Minnehan scored five, and senior Joe Thede and junior Trevor Bundt scored two each.
Berns led in rebounds with seven and Noah Juergensen led in assists with four.
The Rockets finished the season at 17-6.
IKM-Manning went on to beat Nodaway Valley, 65-60, to win a berth at the state tournament.
