The North Country Mavericks picked up a conference win in their final week of the regular season, defeating the Dodson Coyotes 57-47 in Whitewater Feb. 8. Friday night they fell 69-32 to the Lions in Lustre. The Mavericks surged in the second half in Frazer Saturday night but found themselves on the wrong end of the 50-46 score at the end of the game.

North Country trailed 16-13 after one against Dodson but claimed a 29-19 lead at the half. The Mavericks held on to their lead after three, 41-32 and outscored the Coyotes by a point in the fourth for the win.

Aiden Albus scored 24 points in the win followed by Trey Johnson with 12 and Blaine Downing with 10 points. Coy Bowman scored 8 and Kade Strommen 3 points.

North Country had 14 fouls, nine in the second half. Strommen fouled out, Albus had four, Johnson three and Downing and Taylor Mogan one each.

The Mavericks trailed the Lions 16-7 in Lustre after the first eight minutes and found themselves down 26-18 at the half. Lustre Christian outscored North Country 23-6 in the third and 20-8 in the fourth.

Johnson scored 17 points for North Country followed by Mogan with 8, Downing 4 and Albus 3 points.

North Country had 13 fouls, seven in the seond half. Downing had four, Johnson three and Mogan two. Marshall Caves, Albus and Walker Albus were each called for one infraction.

In Frazer on Saturday, the Bearcubs leapt out to a 22-7 lead after the first quarter and held a 30-15 lead at the half. North Country surged in the second half, outscoring their hosts 14-5 in the third and 17-15 in the final eight minutes but found themselves just short of a win. A. Albus scored 16 points and Downing added 15. Johnson scored 12 and Bowman added a field goal and a free throw.

The Mavericks were called for 16 fouls, 11 in the second half. Mogan fouled out while Downing and A. Albus were called for four each. Johnson had three and Bowman one.

North Country will have a chance in the postseason to take a game back from Frazer. The Mavericks and the Bearcubs meet in round one of the District 3-C Tournament. They will play at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 16, in Wolf Point.