Jackson, White Station too much for Cass Lake-Bena

Bemidji Pioneer

MINNEAPOLIS — Cass Lake-Bena’s run-and-gun style met its match in the White Station Spartans from Memphis, Tenn. Saturday at Target Center.

The Panthers lost 99-68 in the Gatorade-Timberwolves Shootout, a basketball showcase featuring the top teams in Minnesota against top teams from around the country.

The Spartans were led by Joe Jackson, who Rivals.com ranks as the seventh-best sophomore in the nation. Jackson led all scorers with 29 points, finishing 11-for-23 from the field, including 4-of-7 beyond the arc.

Martin Wind led Cass Lake-Bena with 17 points and eight rebounds, while Nate Salscheider posted 16 points. Cass Lake-Bena fell to 5-2 this season with the loss.

The Panthers hung with White Station through the beginning of the first half following two 3-pointers by Joel Salscheider. But the Spartans turned on the heat with about 12 minutes remaining in the half, posting a 12-1 run and taking a 25-14 lead.

Nate Howard and Wind both hit threes the whittled the deficit to six, but that’s as close as the Panthers would get for the duration. White Station closed out the half on a 14-5 run and headed to the locker room with a 47-32 lead.

The Spartans stormed out of the gates in the second half and widened their lead to 19 points in the first four minutes. Jackson continued to excel with 14 second-half points, including a dunk with 10 minutes remaining. Wind tried to help the Panthers mount a comeback, posting 11 second-half points, but the lead was insurmountable.

Cass Lake-Bena finished the game shooting 21-of-56 from the field, including 7-for-22 from three-point range; White Station shot 41-of-73 from the field and 4-of-10 beyond the arc. Seventeen steals by the Spartans proved to be the difference in the game, allowing for many uncontested fast-break layups and the Jackson dunk.

This game was the third of six during Saturday’s 12th annual Gatorade Timberwolves Shootout. The Shootout attracts some of the best basketball talent from all over the country. Over the years, 18 future NBA players have participated in the Shootout, including Timberwolves point guard Sebastian Telfair.

Three players appearing in this year’s Shootout are ranked in the top 10 nationally by Rivals.com, including third-ranked senior Jrue Holiday (UCLA) from Campbell Hall (Calif.), fifth-ranked Junior Demarcus Cousins (undecided) from Leflore (Ala.), and seventh-ranked Jackson.

Other Minnesota teams playing Saturday were the St. Paul Center girls, Princeton High School, Hopkins High School, Minnetonka High School and Benilde-St. Margaret.