Arlee surges, Charlo edges Drummond, Mission outlasts Two Eagle

Lake County boys basketball teams were busy last weekend, with multiple local matchups across Classes B and C. 

Arlee 81, Two Eagle River 57 

Arlee used a dominant second half to pull away from Two Eagle River and secure an 81–57 victory. 

The Warriors led just 29–31 midway through the second quarter before flipping the game with a decisive third period. After Two Eagle stayed within striking distance through halftime, Arlee erupted for 30 points in the third quarter, turning a close contest into a double-digit lead the Eagles could not overcome. The Warriors followed with a 22-point fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. 

Two Eagle River showed balanced scoring, led by Rhiley Gates with 14 points. Arty Mahkuk added nine points, while Thomas Addison and Liam Shepherd scored eight apiece.  

The win pushed Arlee to 3–1 on the season, while Two Eagle River slipped to 2–2. 

Mission 44, Two Eagle River 39 

Mission relied on a standout individual performance to grind out a 44–39 win over Two Eagle River in a tightly contested matchup. 

Lex LaFrombois carried the Bulldogs offensively, scoring 28 of Mission’s 44 points and accounting for nearly two-thirds of the team’s scoring. Mission trailed 13–9 after the first quarter but edged ahead by halftime, taking a 21–22 deficit into the locker room before outscoring the Eagles 23–17 in the second half. 

Jason Leishman added seven points for Mission. 

Rhiley Gates led two Eagle River with 10 points and Jayvian Burke had nine. Thomas Addison and Talon Addison each scored seven, while Kayson Gates added four and Greg Plummer finished with two. 

Mission improved to 1–2, while Two Eagle River fell to 1–2. 

Charlo 61, Drummond 59 

Charlo picked up a hard-fought 61–59 win over Drummond behind a milestone night from senior Karson Cox. 

Cox poured in 25 points to lead the Vikings and surpassed the 700-point mark for his varsity career. The game remained tight throughout, with the teams tied 11–11 after the first quarter and Charlo carrying a narrow 27–28 deficit into halftime. 

The Vikings surged ahead in the third quarter, outscoring Drummond 17–15, and matched the Trojans point-for-point in the fourth to preserve the win. Kenyan DuMont added 13 points for Charlo, while Tasker Brown scored 12. Ecko Edwards finished with seven points. 

The win evened Charlo’s record at 2–2, while Drummond dropped to 1–2. 

Arlee 86, Charlo 64 

Arlee capped the weekend with an 86–64 win over Charlo, using a blistering first half to seize control early. 

The Warriors came out firing, scoring 29 points in the first quarter and 28 more in the second to build a commanding 57–29 halftime lead. Charlo responded with improved play after the break, outscoring Arlee 35–29 in the second half, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome. 

Charlo scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to close strong, but Arlee's play dictated the outcome.     Mission Bulldog Lex LaFrombois attempts to make basket during their home game against Two Eagle River on Dec. 12. (Christa Umphrey Photo)