Kick lifts Midgets over Mandan

The pick-and-roll isn't the flashiest way to score, but it gets the job done when executed properly.

Dickinson High seniors Tate Kick and Marcus Fridley played it to perfection Thursday Night.

Fridley found Kick on a pick-and-roll and Kick scored the go-ahead layup with 7 seconds remaining in the game to lift the top-ranked Midgets to a thrilling 59-58 victory over third-ranked Mandan in West Region action at the Dickinson High School gymnasium.

"Coach drew up a great play and we executed it perfectly," Kick said. "Marcus attacked right away."

Fridley credited Kick on the play.

"He set a good screen," Fridley said. "It was just a matter of finding the open man."

As exciting as the win was by itself, the game had much deeper implications.

Dickinson (16-3, 13-3 West Region) locked up the top spot in the West Region tournament, which starts on Thursday at the Bismarck Civic Center.

The Midgets will play the winner of the Bismarck St. Mary's-Jamestown play-in game at 2 p.m. in the quarterfinals. Mandan earns an opening-round date with Minot, a team it lost to on Feb. 9.

"We were very fortunate to come away with this one," Dickinson coach Dean Winczewski said. "We shot poorly."

The Midgets came roaring back from an eight-point deficit with less than 3 minutes to go. Fridley hit a pair of free throws, added a jumper and drained a 3-pointer to help the Midgets take a 57-56 lead.

"He made some big shots for us," Kick said. "He's going to have to keep stepping up."

Fridley finished with 15 points.

"You expect seniors to make plays like that," Winczewski said of Fridley's run. "That's what it came down to."

Fridley's resurgence in the fourth quarter was vital for the Midgets. However, it was Dickinson's biggest standout who provided the final blows.

Kick scored the game-winner and also took a charge with 1 second remaining on the clock to keep Mandan from turning the tables on Dickinson's comeback.

Kick's basket was just two of his game-high 29 points. He polished off the double-double by grabbing 12 rebounds.

Winczewski praised the efforts of Kick as well as the rest of the team in regard to taking charges.

"The kids have done well at giving up their body," Winczewski said.

Of Kick's 29, perhaps the easiest points came on three dunks in the first half. With every slam, the packed gymnasium arose with cheers.

Dickinson held a 33-29 halftime edge thanks to Kick's 17 first-half points.

However, Mandan stormed back by shutting down Kick for a good portion of the second half.

"We had some missed opportunities, and we didn't finish," Mandan coach Kurt Miller said. "We're disappointed that we didn't win, but we played well."

Mandan senior Justin Belohlavek had a team-high 21 points. Junior Andy Hoff added 12 points.

"I thought we gave the game away," Miller said.