Justin Martinez/MDN Senior Alex Schimke (25) goes up strong for a contested layup during Minot High’s 77-65 loss to Bismarck High on Friday at home.

With an 11-point lead over Bismarck High in the early going of the second half, the Minot High Boy’s basketball team (4-2) seemed to be on pace for a statement home win.

But that victory never came to fruition, as the Demons (6-2) went on a massive run to storm past the home team in the final 15 minutes and walk out of the Magic City with a 77-65 win.

“We fed into (Bismarck’s) run,” MHS head coach Dean Winczewski said. “We took some horrible shots, and they got going. We can make every excuse we want, but we had opportunities to continue to attack and we didn’t.”

After a sluggish start to the game, the Magicians eventually caught fire.

Junior Jaxon Gunville torched the Demons for 14 points, while junior Alex Schimke added in 12 points in front of a packed home crowd that loved every second of the scoring clinic. At halftime, the Magi held a 35-25 lead.

“We moved the ball pretty well (in the first half),” Schimke said. “We executed our sets to a tee and just trusting each other. We did everything we were supposed to do.”

The second half saw the offensive emergence of Caden Johnson. After recording three emphatic blocks in the first half, the 6-foot-9 junior center exploded for six points in the first four minutes out of the break.

The highlight-reel play came at the 14-minute mark when sophomore Deonte’ Martinez penetrated the defense and fed the ball inside to the big man. Johnson caught the pass in stride on his way to the hoop and elevated for a dunk that nearly brought both the house and the rim down, giving the Magi a 45-36 lead.

But Bismarck High responded in hostile territory. Trailing 52-45 with just under 10 minutes left in the game, the Demons launched a 20-2 run to take a 65-54 lead with four minutes remaining.

Bismarck seniors Joe Jahner and Canyon Stonecipher did most of the damage, combining for 15 of those points.

The Magi got to as close as eight points down the stretch but were unable to regain the lead, falling by a score of 77-65. Schimke finished with a team-high 23 points in the loss, and Gunville stayed put at 14 points.

“We played 18 good minutes and 18 bad minutes,” Schimke said. “We have to compose ourselves better in moments like (the second half), but hopefully we’ll learn from it and get better next time.”

Fortunately for the Magi, the team will get its chance to bounce back. Minot High’s next two matches are at home, beginning with a showdown against Turtle Mountain Community HS on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

With the season still young, the Magi are staying true to their course.

“We’re only a few steps into a marathon with a group of kids who haven’t run one before,” Winczewski said. “But we’re better now than we were at the beginning of the year, and we just have to keep moving forward.”

Justin Martinez covers Minot High School sports and Class B high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @JTheSportsDude.