Minnehaha Academy rallied from a three-point deficit at the half to edge visiting Park 69-67 in non-conference boys basketball at Minnehaha Academy Saturday.

The loss snapped a four-game winning streak by the Wolfpack. Park slipped to 15-7 overall. Minnehaha Academy, ranked No. 5 in Class 2A, is 11-8 on the season.

Park was outscored 35-30 in the second half.

Park senior Pharrel Payne had another monster offensive game, leading the Wolfpack with 31 points. But he was the only Park player in double figures against the Redhawks. OT Omot and Evan Bearth scored 9 points apiece, Brayden Fick had 8 and Jamari Walker 6.

Minnehaha Academy’s Prince Aligbe matched Payne with 31 points.

Park (10-4, 15-7) has four games left in the regular season and is two games back of sixth-ranked East Ridge. Park plays at Stillwater (6-8, 12-10) Wednesday, is home against conference leader East Ridge (12-2, 17-5) on Friday. Last week of the regular season see Park home against Forest Lake (2-12, 4-18) on Tuesday, March 1 and then finishing at White Bear Lake (7-7. 11-11) on Friday, March 4.

Park 76, Irondale 36

Park romped to one of its most impressive wins of the season Friday, blowing out visiting Irondale 76-36, the Wolfpack’s fourth straight win and seventh in their last eight games.

Pharrel Payne scored 22 points and Evan Bearth 19 to pace the Wolfpack. Jamari Walker added 15 and David Ola-Kazim 10.

Park led 38-21 at the break. Park improved to 10-4 in the Suburban East Conference and 15-6 overall. Irondale slipped to 8-6 in the conference and 14-8 on the season.

Park made a sweep of the Knights, having won the first meeting of the two teams 67-46 back on Jan. 12.

Park 60, Woodbury 45

Park unleashed a high-wire act in the second half to pull away from a game but struggling Woodbury squad Tuesday.

The Royals came into Cottage Grove off a three-game losing streak and had lost eight of their last 10 games. But Woodbury challenged the Wolfpack for a half before folding.

“Second-half intensity,” said head coach Mike Weah when asked the part with which he was happiest. “At halftime, we felt the first half that we didn’t come out, that we weren’t the aggressor. We kind of felt like we came in here expecting to run all over them. But they were playing way more physical than us. They were getting every single loose ball. They were fighting for every possession while it felt like we weren’t even ready to play.

“Second half we came out and set the tone the first five minutes,” Weah added. “We got going with some nice fast breaks and great finishes, things to get the energy going so I thought we did well on that.”

Senior center Pharrel Payne dropped in 20 points to lead Park, with Evan Bearth and Jamari Walker each scoring 10 points.

“We worked as a team,” said Walker. “I feel everybody was lifting each other up more and we were truly having fun instead of focusing like it’s a job.

“I was having a lot of fun,” Walker said. The Wolfpack showed great depth in outing away the Royals, as guards and wings OT Omot, Brady Perryman, Brayden Fick and David Ola-Kazim gave ample support to the frontcourt. Omot had a huge three to end the first half, which seemed to jumpstart the offense in the second half.

“Honestly, we probably could have played a lot better,” said Fick. “There were times when we could of just kept going but we kind of fell back a little bit. That’s what coach was talking to us about.

“I’m pretty sure we’re ranked the No.1 defense in the state,” Fick added. “So, if we bring that every single night, I don’t see a team that should be beating us.”

“All year those guys have focused on being the best defensive team that we could possibly be,” said Weah. “We understand after how we ended the season last year that we need to be tougher.”

Pharrel Payne of the Wolfpack gets set to go up for a shot against the Woodbury Royals. In three games last week the University of Minnesota-bound Payne scored 20, 22 and 31 points.Photo by John Molene