Boys basketball: C-DH turns back Ponies

OAK PARK HEIGHTS — Clinching at least a share of the Suburban East Conference championship in the process, Cretin-Derham Hall held off the Ponies for a 70-53 boys basketball victory on Friday, Feb. 23 at Stillwater Area High School.

The Raiders (16-1 SEC, 21-4) can clinch the conference title outright with a victory at Forest Lake to close out the regular season on Feb. 29. East Ridge (15-2, 17-7), which has won 12 straight conference games since losing to Stillwater on Jan. 3, can still earn a share of the SEC championship with a loss by Cretin-Derham Hall and a victory over Roseville in its final regular season game.

Stillwater (6-11, 12-13) faced an even bigger challenge from the Raiders while playing without two of its top post players in Lake DeJongh and AJ Taban. Monteff Dixon took advantage while leading Cretin-Derham Hall with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Joe Mitchell also contributed 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Raiders, who won despite making just 7 of 16 free throws.

After trailing by 13 points at halftime, the Ponies mounted a spirited comeback in the second half while pulling within six points on at least two occasions. Jaden Jones hit two free throws for Stillwater with less than 13 points remaining to climb within 43-37 and Joe Fredkove scored on an offensive rebound to pull within 45-39 a minute later before the Raiders scored seven straight points to build a 52-39 advantage.

West Dell drained a 3-pointer with 9:20 remaining as Stillwater closed the deficit to 52-42, but the Raiders pulled away down the stretch.

Brett Hilde paced the Ponies with 12 points while Henry Zollar and Fredkove added 10 points apiece.

Stillwater wraps up the regular season by hosting Woodbury (5-12, 9-16) for Senior Night and then opens play in the Section 4AAAA tournament with a quarterfinal game on Wednesday, March 6.

Cretin-Derham Hall 41 29 — 70

Stillwater 28 25 — 53

Cretin-Derham Hall (pts): Anthony Knight 11, Joe Mitchell 16, Jason Johnson 9, Miles Bollinger 3, Keishion Jarmon 5, Aidan Macke 3 and Monteff Dixon 23.

Stillwater: Brett Hilde 12, Jaden Jones 2, Aiden Hammond 6, Joe Hoheisel 2, John Dieterle 2, Joe Fredkove 10, Henry Thury 2, West Dell 7 and Henry Zollar 10.