On back-to-back nights, good Fillmore Central and Spring Grove basketball teams played each other. The boys contest featured Wade Grinde’s #3 Lions (11-1, 13-1), riding a seven-game win streak, and Brady O’Connor’s Falcons (3-6, 10-7), winners of four straight. FC upset the Lions 55-54 in 2022. Elijah Solum hit a game-winning three last year in 69-65 SG victory. The 2024 incarnation was not quite so dramatic. FC was able to score well very early, hitting five straight field goals for an 11-8 lead, but it was then tough sailing against SG’s defense. FC led 18-12 later in the stanza but the Lions scored the final 10 points for a 22-18 lead at intermission. And then they never trailed, leading by as many as 14 (36-22). FC got as close as 46-40 with just under a minute. But the Lions posted the 51-42 win. Solum (14 pts, 8 rebs), Jaxon Strinmoen (11 pts, 5 rebs, 9 stls), and Jacob Olerud (11 pts, 3-10 threes) made double figures. Ben Udstuen (9 pts, 10 rebs) and Ethan Crouch (6 pts, 9 rebs) helped. Olerud hit two trifectas down the stretch to keep the Falcons at arm’s reach. Jayce Kiehne (13 pts) and Greg Kennedy (12 pts, 5-9 FGs, 5 asts) led FC, which went 3 of 28 from deep (11%). The Falcons also had 20 turnovers, SG 11. The girls took the court a night later in a match-up of teams on eight-game win streaks. In the first half, FC (4-5, 12-7) had a stretch of five straight turnovers and SG (11-0, 16-2) hit seven straight field goals near simultaneously. The result was a 12-0 Lion run and 24-14 lead. The edge was 24-18 at half. SG extended its lead early in the second half to 32-20. But FC got a key four-point possession mid-half. The Lions did not score the final three-minutes or so. FC scored 12 of the final 18. Kyla Hellickson hit two baskets, getting the Falcons to within one at 47-46 (1:10). FC had the ball with 16.3 ticks left. The Falcons got trapped twice, taken out of any offense, and Lion Kendal VanMinsel stole a pass in the closing seconds to cement the win! SG ran its streak to nine, 47-46! Kinley Soiney (15 pts, 3-10 threes, 8 rebs, 5 stls) and Kylie Hammel (14 pts, 4-10 threes) hit double figures. Siri Konkel added 9 (pts), 3 (asts), and 5 (stls). Kammry Broadwater (14 pts, 8 rebs, 4 asts, 4 stls, 3 blks) and Hellickson (12 pts, 13 rebs) led the Falcons. SG hit 9 of 27 threes (33%) to FC’s 2 of 15 (13%). SG went 2 of 10 at the line (20%), FC 4 of 7 (57%).
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