CASS LAKE 鈥� Dominic Fairbanks didn鈥檛 just want to surpass a new milestone.
Cass Lake-Bena鈥檚 star guard wanted to get a big win in the process. And on Monday at the CLB Gymnasium, he managed to do both.
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Fairbanks scored 34 points in the Panthers鈥� 83-72 victory over Mountain Iron-Buhl, more than enough to pass 2,000 career points in a Cass Lake-Bena uniform. He finished Monday鈥檚 game with 2,019 and counting, and the Panthers earned a confidence-boosting win against the No. 7 Class A team in the state.
鈥淚t was really cool,鈥� said Fairbanks of reaching 2,000. 鈥淚 wasn't sure if I broke it at the time. But then after that, it was really fun.鈥�
After the run of play continued, the contest stopped at the next dead ball while the crowd in attendance congratulated Fairbanks on his milestone. He was given a special commemorative ball for the occasion, which he presented to his family.
鈥淒om works hard," said CLB head coach John Wind. "The last couple of years, it鈥檚 been a joy to coach him, and I've said that to him and his parents and the team. He's coachable, he's really come along (as a player). It's like having another coach out on the floor. He knows what we need to do, and sometimes, I鈥檝e got to get after him. But other than that, he makes good decisions, makes the right decisions. It's been a pleasure to coach him.鈥�
Nice reception from the Cass Lake-Bena home crowd for Fairbanks, who received a commemorative basketball to share with his family.
— Christian Babcock (@CB_Journalist)
Once the fanfare of his achievement quieted down, Fairbanks went to work getting the Panthers back into the game. They trailed 32-31 after he hit the fated shot, a top-of-the-key 3-pointer that beat the shot-clock buzzer. Yet Cass Lake-Bena still went into the half down 38-33.
But CLB (8-6) responded with its best basketball in the second half. The Panthers scored 50 points to sprint past the Rangers (10-3), establishing a double-digit lead near the end of the second frame and holding on down the stretch.
鈥淭hey were a tough team, so it was a really good win for us,鈥� Fairbanks said. 鈥淭hey were aggressive, but we felt good, because we were already kind of on a winning streak. We started the season off slowly, and now we're building off that. We鈥檙e building toward the playoffs to get better and better.鈥�
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Cass Lake-Bena entered Monday鈥檚 matchup riding three victories in a row, including a road triumph over Class AA Perham. But this win felt like a statement of intent about what challenges the Panthers could present for their future opponents during the Section 8A Tournament in March.
The night ultimately belonged to Fairbanks, and the moment of the game brought back fond memories for Wind.
鈥淚've known him since he came up from seventh, eighth grade, even before that,鈥� Wind said. 鈥淚 know his family, his family and my family are very close. My older boys knew their family, they knew his dad. 鈥� Dom鈥檚 one of the younger ones now, and it's an enjoyment for me to be involved in (his achievement).鈥�
For CLB girls head coach Martin Wind, the school鈥檚 all-time leading boys scorer with 2,622 points, welcoming Fairbanks into the 2,000-point fraternity was an experience he had long looked forward to.
鈥淕od, he鈥檚 a good kid,鈥� Martin Wind said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always in the gym every morning, really respectful. He deserves it. I was looking at the point list, I was hoping he could (pass me), someone who deserves it so (much). But it鈥檚 a really good accomplishment for him, and I鈥檓 really proud of him for doing that.鈥�
Cass Lake-Bena 83, No. 7 Mountain Iron-Buhl 72
MIB 38 34 鈥� 72
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CLB 33 50 鈥� 83
CASS LAKE-BENA 鈥� Fairbanks 34, Whitebird 19, Blue-Robinson 9, Jackson 9, Boswell 7, Dick 5.
MOUNTAIN IRON-BUHL 鈥� King 27, Clines 17, DuChamp 16, R. Niska 5, Anderson 3, T. Niska 2.
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