ALBERT LEA — Rochester Century picked up its second straight win. And it leaned on an eighth-grader to do it.
Guard Jack Fisher, a student at Kellogg Middle School, drilled a 25-foot shot just before the regulation buzzer.
It sent the Panthers into overtime with Albert Lea, with Century then prevailing 65-62 in the Big Nine Conference boys basketball game.
It moved Century to 3-14 in the league, 4-17 overall. Albert Lea — which was coming off its first win of the season — is 0-17, 1-19.
Century played the game without three starters, injured Bailey Hollenbeck and Evan Miller, and ill Ryan Fink.
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"We had a number of guys who hadn't played many minutes for us really step up tonight," Century coach Joe Ohm said.
One of them was Fisher, the first eighth-grader that Ohm has ever given varsity minutes. Fisher finished with five points and ran things at point guard the second half and overtime.
"Jack is smart, he's a good passer and he sees things well," Ohm said.
Century trailed virtually the entire game, until late in overtime. Senior forward Jared Bakken hit four big throws in the extra session to tie the score. It was Will Farm who later hit the game-winner for Century, burying a 3-pointer with four seconds left.
Bakken had a huge game, with 27 points and 11 rebounds.
"Jared really had a good game for us inside," Ohm said.
Jack Fuqua had nine points, Will Farm seven and Luke Halverson four steals.
Jake Thompson, a senior guard, had 21 points for Albert Lea.
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Century 65, Albert Lea 62
CENTURY (65)
Malik Burton 3 P, 1 3-PT; Matthew Captain 5 P, 1 3-PT; Thomas Hanson 6 P, 2 3-PT; Jared Bakken 27 P, 1 3-PT; Gabe Shilts 3 P, 1 3-PT; Jack Fuqua 9 P; Will Farm 7 P, 1 3-PT; Jack Fisher 5 P, 1 3-PT.
ALBERT LEA (62)
Denzel Acha 10 P; Jake Thompson 21 P, 3 3-PT; Jared Schmidt 2 P; Jakob Kilby 15 P, 1 3-PT; Jacob Bordewick 3 P, 1 3-PT; Jack Buendorf 2 P; Zach Romer 4 P; Andy Woitas 5 P.
Halftime:AL 36, CENT 27.
Free throws:CENT 15-19, AL 13-22.
Three-point goals:CENT 8, AL 5.
