Ryan Ladika/MDN Jaxon Feller catches a pass on the Lions' offensive side in the first half. Feller made the game-winning shot at the buzzer and finished with 23 points in the Lions' come-from-behind win.

In the third of four games hosted at the Minot Auditorium Friday evening, the Des Lacs-Burlington Lakers went to battle with the Bishop Ryan Lions for the chance to move on to the District 12 tournament semifinals.

Taking the court after Our Redeemer’s dealt with Glenburn and Surrey downed the Berthold Bombers, the Lakers exploded out of the opening tipoff. Paxton Ystaas, Carson Yale and Will Mayo all drained shots from three-point land, making DLB a perfect three-for-three from deep to start, and giving the Lakers an early 9-1 advantage.

Jaxon Feller also made his initial shot from beyond the arc with just under five and a half minutes to play in the first quarter, but the Lakers used their collective size and speed to maintain command of the contest. Ystaas piled on two more, and the 6’7″ Yale grabbed a Des Lacs-Burlington miss at the rim and slammed it home, producing a thunderous roar from the Lakers faithful in attendance. By the end of the first eight minutes of play, Des Lacs-Burlington doubled the Lions’ total and entered the brief pause in action ahead 16-8.

Again it was the Lakers who dominated the second quarter, outscoring the Lions 18-7 in the subsequent eight minutes. The trio of Mayo, Riley Eide and Ty Hughes begun the quarter with seven unanswered points, and Yale, Ystaas, Rylan Olson and Jake Schaefer all contributed down the stretch to give the Lakers a 34-18 lead at the half.

The Lions finally began to claw their way back into the game after having a few moments in the locker room to draw up some answers for their bigger opponents. Conner Thompson scored a quick two points, followed by one-of-two makes at the line by Feller. Thompson scored two more, and then Feller took over.

The 5’8″ senior reached a new level of hot, scoring the Lions’ next nine points on a stretch that saw him make two free throws and another try from behind the arc. All of a sudden the Lions had new life, trailing only 41-32 entering the fourth quarter.

Bishop Ryan just kept rolling. Thompson, Brady Feller and Logan Merck scored 11 points to the Lakers’ five to open the quarter, and it was Thompson, Jaxon and Brady Feller who carried the Lions to within one at 48-47.

Brady hit the shot that gave Bishop Ryan its first lead of the contest with under a minute remaining, a huge three point shot that produced an earth-shattering scream from the Lions fans in the building.

In the waning seconds of the contest, Yale tied the game at 50 apiece, and the ball found its way to Jaxon Feller.

He pulled up from mid-range and sank a two point shot, then earned a takeaway immediately after, and the crowd went absolutely berserk. The Lions, who trailed by 16 at halftime, had come all the way back and shocked the Lakers at the buzzer to win 52-50. The Lakers bench stood in ‘Surrender Cobra’ in utter disbelief as Jaxon Feller sprinted off the court with joy.

Jaxon Feller led the way with 23 points during the contest, and Brady Feller finished second on the team in scoring with 12 points. Yale was Des Lacs-Burlington’s leading scorer with 17 points.

Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood bests South Prairie 43-29

In the fourth game of the night, the MLS Mavericks defeated the South Prairie Royals by a 43-29 final score. The Mavericks commanded the game from start to finish, as the Royals never led. Lucas Undlin scored a team-high 17 points for MLS, and Steele Olson was the second-highest scorer with six points. For the Royals, Lance Pitner led the team with eight points in the loss.