Trinity cools off Wildfire

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MOTT — Jacob Volk started strong and didn’t stop — and it was exactly what No. 3-ranked Dickinson Trinity needed to break Mott-Regent’s seven-game win streak.

Volk scored the Titans’ first seven points in the first minute and rolled from there, finishing with game highs of 22 points, 12 rebounds and six assists to help Trinity to a 65-49 win over the Wildfire on Thursday night during a Region 7 boys basketball game at the Mott National Guard Armory.

“He really got into a flow early and I think the other kids just fed off of that,” Trinity head coach Gregg Grinsteinner said. “It was a fun game to be a part of, but it was a physical game. I thought our kids executed very well on both ends of the floor.”

The Titans (15-1) opened up a 22-8 first-quarter lead and led 30-19 at halftime before slightly stretching their advantage to 16 points in the third quarter.

Trinity also did its best to contain the Zentner brothers, sending waves of defenders at Mott-Regent’s leading scorers.

While Taylor Zentner finished with 18 points, five assists and three steals and Tyler Zentner added 13 points to lead the Wildfire (11-5), Grinsteinner said he was pleased with his team’s effort defending them.

“We made them basically earn everything,” he said. “I thought those kids did a real nice job of limiting them and making them work hard for the points they did get.”

The Titans don’t have much time to relish in their win, however.

They host Hazen at 7 p.m. today at Knights of Columbus Activities Center in a crucial District 14 matchup that will give the winner the No. 2 seed and a bye in the upcoming district tournament.

“The thing we’ve been telling our kids, this is like a tournament week,” said Grinsteinner, whose team also won at Bowman County on Tuesday. “This is the championship game of the tournament. How are you going to respond now?”

Trinity 22 30 55 65

MR 8 19 39 49

T: Jacob Volk 22, Jesse Kubik 17, Isiah Binstock 13, Ben Gordon 7, Austin Deichert 3, Alex Binstock 2, Mitch Meyer 1.

MR: Taylor Zentner 18, Tyler Zentner 13, Jacob Greff 9, Jonah Honeyman 6, Logan Haberstroh 2, Brett Messmer 1.

3-pointers: T 5 (Volk 2, Deichter, Kubik, Gordon 1), MR 3 (Ta. Zentner 2, Greff 1). Free throws: T 8-16, MR 8-12. Total fouls: T 12, MR 18. Rebounds: T 47 (Volk 12), MR 32 (Honeyman 12). Assists: T 20 (Volk 6), MR 13 (Ta. Zentner 5). Steals: T 9 (Jacob Good 3), MR 8 (Ta. Zentner 3). Blocks: T 7 (Kubik 4), MR 1 (Honeyman 1). Turnovers: T 12, MR 14. Records: T 15-1, MR 11-5.

Tags: high school basketball, trinity titans, region 7, sports, basketball