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WATCH: Davies boys roll past Sheyenne, gain separation in EDC

021219.S.FF.EaglesB.Motschenbacher
Fargo Davies' Braeton Motschenbacher sinks a three pointer in front of West Fargo Sheyenne's Nathan Goldade during the Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019, boys basketball game at Davies. Michael Vosburg / Forum Photo Editor

FARGO — Thanks to a West Fargo upset loss to Fargo North, Fargo Davies had a defacto Eastern Dakota Conference regular season title game moved up roughly 72 hours.

The Eagles handled the change in schedule quite well.

Braeton Motschenbacher led a group of five double-figure scorers with 23 points and the Eagles completed a season sweep of West Fargo Sheyenne with an 89-67 win in Fargo Tuesday night.

The Eagles, who outshot the Mustangs 10-5 from deep on the night, used the 3-pointer to pull ahead after both teams struggled offensively early.

Consecutive triples by Cole Hage and Motschenbacher kick-started a 10-0 run, putting the Eagles ahead 15-4 and giving them a comfortable lead they held for the rest of the evening.

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Motschenbacher, who had 26 points and five 3-pointers in a 77-62 win over the Mustangs in January, keyed the offense again on Tuesday by hitting six more triples against the Mustangs.

"I was just feeling it, so I kept shooting," he said. "Can't really explain it."

Jaden Klabo added 17 points while Cole Hage chipped in 13 with a game-high nine rebounds. Harrison Thom and Cameron Van Dam completed the double-digit barrage with 12 points each.

The Class A second-ranked Eagles improve to 17-1 in the EDC and have all but locked up a regular season conference title.

Just one game ahead of West Fargo in the loss column entering the night, Davies got some separation from the Packers, who suffered a 71-68 upset loss to Fargo North. West Fargo, which hosts Davies on Friday, defeated the Eagles in January.

Though the game won't present as much pressure from a standings perspective, head coach Bart Manson still sees Friday's rematch with the Packers as a potential stepping stone for his team, which won the EDC regular season title a season ago only to be left out of the state tournament.

"We're playing the teams at the top part of the league this week and we're excited for that challenge," coach Bart Manson said. "I think it gets you ready for tournament play. Hopefully we're still moving in the right direction."

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Manson's players are also excited to get payback on the team responsible for their only blemish on the season.

"We've been preparing for these two games, Sheyenne and West Fargo all season," Motschenbacher said. "Those are our big ones and we really need to prove we're the best in the EDC."

Tuesday was a second straight rough outing for the Mustangs, who drop to 14-3 in conference play.

There was one noteworthy moment in a tough loss, though, as senior guard Christian Kuntz became the first player in school history to cross the 1,000-point threshold.

Kuntz, who scored a team-high 17, reached four figures on Sheyenne's first possession of the second half, when he blew by a defender with a swift back cut, then finished off an easy layup off a bounce pass near the rim.

"I couldn't be happier for (him)," Mustang coach Tom Kirchoffner said of Kuntz. "He's earned it. He was moved up to the varsity team when we had seniors. He's just a guy that does it all. They've got to be an exceptional player (to do it) in Class A basketball."

Saying "it's an honor" to be the first Mustang to cross that threshold, Kuntz couldn't pinpoint a favorite shot, though he's hoping that will change when the postseason rolls around.

"(I have) no game-winners," he said. "Hopefully it'll happen in a tournament game. That would be pretty special."

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WFS: Kuntz 17, Dettmann 9, Berg 7, Goldade 9, Reynolds 7, Kpeenu 0, Kanega 4, Terhark 4, Moni 5, Dubois 5, Mohamed 0

FD: Satter 5, Mayour 5, Motschenbacher 23, Hektner 0, Noel 0, Klabo 17, Thom 12, Haman 0, Van Dam 12, Hage 13, Hensel 2

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