Boys Basketball: Trojans Top Burros in Battle of League Leaders, Run Streak to Nine
It was the biggest game between Rushford-Peterson (9-2, 17-3) and Lanesboro (12-2, 18-3) in boys’ basketball in some time. Each entered leading their respective league East division races having strong seasons. The game was majorly determined by one major first half spurt. Trailing 11-10, R-P went on a 19-2 run to lead 29-13. Lanesboro was 1 of 10 shooting in the span. The Trojan lead was double digits the rest of the game in a 72-54 win. R-P shot 28 of 47 from the field (60%) and 9 of 19 (47%) from deep, Lanesboro 19 of 59 (32%) and 7 of 26 (27%). Chris Drinkall’s group did it with their depth. Carson Johnson (7-11 FGs, 6 rebs, 6 asts), Cayden Lea (3-6 threes, 7 rebs), and Will LaFleur (3-6 threes, 4 asts, 4 stls) all scored 16 points. Brode Vickerman added 10 (pts) and 5 (rebs) on a 5 of 5 shooting. Burro Nick Taylor led all scorers with 26 points (7-8 FTs, 6 rebs, 5 stls). Conor Danielson added 11 (3-9 threes). R-P also won the boards 38 of 28. The Burros had an eight-game win-streak snapped. R-P also beat La Crescent/Hokah 74-71 and Pine Island 65-60 in close section wins. Lea (25 pts, 6-12 threes, 7-7 FTs) and Johnson (18 pts, 8-16 FGs, 9 rebs, 5 asts) led the way versus the Lancers. Jaxson Meldahl added 8 points. The Trojans hit 10 threes, but on 33 attempts (30%), shooting a middling 39% (26 of 67) overall. Lea (16 pts, 4-6 FTs, 4 stls) and Landon Dahl (7-12 FGs, 8 rebs) each scored 16 versus the Panthers. Meldahl (13 pts, 5-6 FTs) and Thompson (9 pts, 3-9 threes) helped. R-P’s shooting, 33% from the field (22 of 67) and 29% from deep (29%) was down for them. But the Trojans won their ninth game in a row, and 17th in 18 tries. R-P (10-2, 20-3) also got to 20 wins. They lead the TRC-East over Caledonia (10-3, 14-8) and Cotter/HL (9-3, 17-7).
Boys Basketball: Gophers Top Cardinals in Overtime to Move Into First Place
In a battle atop the TRC-West, Chatfield jumped out on Lewiston-Altura 12-0 and led 44-30 early in the second half only to have to sweat out an overtime game. The Gophers hit nine of their first 12 shots to get ahead at the start, but L-A had a 10-0 second half run to take their first lead at 56-55. Neither team scored after Cardinal Seth Lubinski hit two free throws with 1:57 left to make it 62-62. They exchanged four straight turnovers. Gopher Carson Harstad attempted a tough corner three that missed as time expired, prompting overtime. There, Harstad hit a tough driving lane shot to put the Gophers up for good at 68-66 (1:17). Chatfield hit 6 of 8 freebies in the extra session. Harstad hit 3 of 4 in the final minute, the last two making it 72-68 (0:17.6), icing the game by that final. Harstad and Ross Stoehr scored five each for all the Gophers overtime points. Stoehr (19 pts, 7-11 FGs), Brandt McBroom (12 pts, 6 rebs), Kash McBroom (13 pts, 11 rebs, 5 ats), and Harstad (11 pts, 5-6 FTs, 6 rebs) each made double figures. Ryan Eickhoff added 9 (pts) and 5 (rebs) off the bench, Brooks Lea 8 (pts) and 5 (rebs) as a starter. Chatfield had a very limited bench per kids out sick, and B-McBroom fouled out with 6:18 left. Cole Kennedy (20 pts, 6 rebs, 6 stls) and Tyson Prigge (19 pts, 11 rebs, 4 asts, 4 stls) led the Cardinals. Chatfield shot better, 49% (27 of 55) to L-A’s 39% (24 of 61). Both teams made six threes and attempted 23 free throws with Chatfield making 12 (52%), L-A 14 (61%). The win puts Jeremy McBroom’s group (10-4, 15-9) a half game ahead of the Cardinals (9-4, 17-7) in the TRC-West. Chatfield has one TRC game left, L-A two. Each play St. Charles.
Boys Basketball: Burros Win First SEC-East Title Since 2010
Lanesboro boys’ week featured two wins and two losses, the latter each to an excellent team. But amidst it all, Matt Asleson’s group did what no Burro boys’ team has done since 2010 and won an SEC division or out-right title. It happened on a Thursday night (with help). Lanesboro expanded on a 35-32 halftime lead to beat Schaeffer Academy 74-49. At the same time, SEC-East third place Spring Grove knocked off second place Mabel-Canton 76-73. It was the Cougars’ second league loss on the week and in a row. The result was the Burros title. With only two games left (including with M-C) team orange (13-3 in the SEC, 19-5 overall) finished the week with a three-game lead over the Cougars (10-6, 16-8) and SG (10-6, 10-14). The Burros got four in double figures in the win led by Nick Taylor (25 pts, 4 stls, 3 blks). Boone Moen (16 pts, 4-6 threes), Quadyn Kettner (11 pts), and Mason Gilbertson (10 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts) also did so. Luke Frieze scored 31 to lead all scorers. The Burros also lost to R-P in a big non-conference game (See ‘Boys Basketball: Trojans Top Burros….”) while beating Houston 76-31 and losing to Southland 58-51 in SEC action (See ‘Southeast Conference Boys Basketball’ for more).
Boys Basketball: Lions Win Twice with 76 Points
Spring Grove ended a five-game losing streak, scoring 76 points twice to take two close SEC wins. The Lions earned a season split with a 76-70 home win over Lyle/Pacelli and completed a season sweep of Mabel-Canton 76-73. With two key players out injured against L/P, the Lions matched a season-most 12 treys made. With 16 of the game-total 19 triples coming before halftime, SG led 46-34 at the break. Then three-point accuracy plummeted for both squads. The Lions led by 19 before a 12-point L/P run. The A’s closed to within four (0:05)
before Weston Ingvalson hit two late free throws. The sophomore shooter hit 5 of 7 FT’s during the final 37 seconds and scored a career-high 25 points (7-9 FTs, 6-15 threes). Devon Williams (18 pts, 8-13 FGs, 8 rebs), Ricardo Reynolds (12 pts, 10 rebs, 4 stls), Lyric Stadtler (11 pts, 8 asts) and Kolton Nerstad (10 pts, 8 rebs, 5 asts) gave the Lions five double-figure scorers. The Athletics out-rebounded SG, 44-33, but suffered through 19 turnovers. The Lions had only 11. With standing room only at Mabel, each team scored 61 points from the field, SG with four more treys, M-C with six more deuces. But Grove won 76-73 with three more free throws. The Cougars led most of the first half, the Lions most of the second. Both teams led during the final 21 seconds. A seven-point M-C lead disappeared when SG hit nine straight shots (six treys) to go up, 43-37 at halftime. The Lions led by 10 with six minutes to play before Isaac Underbakke scored 18 of the Cougars’ final 29 points. M-C regained the lead, 73-72, via two Darian Hershberger free throws with 21-seconds remaining. But SG scored the final four points from the foul line, Ingvalson and Nerstad two each, in the final 20 seconds. Underbakke (24 pts, 10-17 FGs, 10 rebs, 10 asts) had a triple double. Hershberger (16 pts, 6-6 FGs, 5 rebs) and Nolan Garness (14 pts) also scored in double figures. For SG, Williams (20 pts, 10-16 FGs, 17 rebs) was a force inside as was Ingvalson (20 pts, 5-15 threes) from downtown. Despite sitting out nearly half the game in foul trouble, Stadtler (13 pts, 5 asts) helped immensely as did Nerstad (7 pts, 9 rebs, 4 asts, 6 stls) and Emery Bartell (9 pts, 3-10 threes). The Lions (10-6, 10-14) moved into a second-place tie with M-C (10-6, 16-8), each behind SEC-East champ Lanesboro (13-3, 19-5).
Three Rivers Conference Boys Basketball (2/12 & 2/13)
Caledonia 72, La Crescent/Hokah 60 (C: G. King 27 pts (three threes); Coby Hammell 15 pts; Aaron Stemper 10 pts; Colin Stemper 9 pts. The Warriors jumped out to a 40-27 halftime lead)
Dover-Eyota 71, Fillmore Central 56 (FC: Bridon Bahl 16 pts, 8 rebs; Clayton Schoepski 13 pts, 7 rebs, 6 asts; Adrian Rindels 11 pts, 6 rebs; Rylan Ristau 7 pts, 6 rebs. The game was 33-33 in the second half before an Eagle 14-0 run, 47-33 lead)
Caledonia 92, Fillmore Central 61 (C: G. King 36 pts (14-27 FGs, 3-8 threes), 7 asts, 5 stls; A. Stemper 18 pts (7-12 FGs, 3-6 threes); C. Hammell 12 pts, 7 rebs; Zeke Gengler 8 pts, 4 asts. FC: B. Bahl 18 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts; C. Schoepski 14 pts, 6 asts; R. Ristau 12 pts; A. Rindels 10 pts, 8 rebs. The Warriors are 10-3 in the TRC, 14-8 overall. FC is 0-12, 4-19)
Southeast Conference Boys Basketball (2/19 – 2/14)
Kingsland 34, #5 in A Southland 103 (K: Kaaleem Reiland 12 pts. Southland hit 14 threes)
Houston 31, Lanesboro 76 (L: N. Taylor 20 pts (9-18 FGs), 4 asts, 6 stls; Mason Gilbertson 15 pts (3-5 threes), 5 asts; Boone Moen 13 pts (3-6 threes); Conor Danielson 7 pts, 4 asts, 4 stls. H: Atreyu Florin 13 pts (5-6 FTs), 10 rebs. Lanesboro hit 9 of 18 threes (50%). The Burros won their eighth in a row and 15th in 16 games)
LeRoy-Ostrander 53, Grand Meadow 60 (GM: Carter Glynn 17 pts (3-7 threes), 10 rebs; Logan Grafe 16 pts (7-7 FGs), 14 rebs; Keaton Gehling 15 pts (5-15 threes). LO: R. Hungerholt 17 pts, 5 asts, 5 stls; Grayson Stockdale 12 pts; John Bradley 10 pts, 11 rebs, 7 stls. LO led 44-39 in the second half, only for an 8-0 Lark run, a 47-44 GM lead. The game was tied at 51 (2:27). Grafe then authored a three-point play, Glynn a three in succession to make it 57-51. GM scored nine of the final 11 points.)
Mabel-Canton 58, Grand Meadow 62 (GM: C. Glynn 17 pts (6-10 FGs), 8 rebs, 5 asts; L. Grafe 13 pts, 13 rebs; Cohen Craft 10 pts; K. Gehling 10 pts (3-10 threes), 10 rebs. MC: Kale Tollefsrud 17 pts (3-9 threes), 4 asts; Nolan Garness 15 pts (5-12 threes); Isaac Underbakke 15 pts (6-9 FGs, 3-5 threes), 4 asts. GM led 30-29 at the half and then never trailed. Down 60-51 (under 2:00), M-C scored seven in a row to make it 60-58 (0:26). On a baseline in-bound. Marshall Bleifus found Blake Hubbard for the game-icing bucket (0:13). M-C won the first game 79-47 in Mabel)
Houston 69, LeRoy-Ostrander 64 (H: Sammy Nelson 19 pts, 7 rebs; A. Florin 16 pts, 15 rebs; Hayden Ronnenberg 12 pts, 6 rebs; Chamberlain Bergeson 10 pts. LO: R. Hungerholt 36 pts (8-23 threes), 7 rebs, 4 ats, 6 stls; J. Bradley 12 pts, 14 rebs.)
Lyle/Pacelli 85, Kingsland 49 (K: K. Reiland 19 pts (3-5 threes), 6 rebs; Dalton Bamlet 11 pts; Michael Johnson 8 pts)
#5 in A Southland 90, Grand Meadow 48 (GM: C. Glynn 17 pts, 5 rebs, 5 ats; L. Grafe 12 pts (5-8 FGs))
Kingsland 30, Grand Meadow 69 (GM: C. Glynn 14 pts, 12 rebs, 4 asts, 4 stls; L. Grafe 14 pts, 11 rebs; Blake Hubbard 11 pts, 6 rebs. K: Collin Stuart 8 pts. Kingsland is 1-16 in the SEC, 1-23 overall)
#5 in A Southland 58, Lanesboro 51 (L: N. Taylor 28 pts, 11 rebs, 5 blks. In a battle of SEC champions, the West titlist Rebels (17-0, 22-1) used an 18-2 second half run to expand a 32-28 halftime lead to 50-30 on the East titlist Burros (13-3, 19-5). The Burros rallied to get within six (56-50) in the final minute, but no closer. Southland won the first match-up 87-35.)
Non-Conference Boys Basketball (2/9 – 2/14)
Fillmore Central 61, Mabel-Canton 66 (MC: Kale Eiken 19 pts (8-9 FTs); I. Underbakke 17 pts, 6 rebs, 5 asts; K. Tollefsrud 10 pts, 6 asts; Cael Wangsness 8 pts. FC: R. Ristau 23 pts (5-13 threes), 8 rebs; B. Bahl 18 pts (3-12 threes), 7 rebs; C. Schoepski 8 pts, 13 assists; Logan Illg 6 pts, 9 rebs. Two rebounding fouls in the final 2:30 sent M-C to the line where they went 4-of-4 to make it 62-56. M-C hit 8 of 8 free throws late. Trailing 64-56, FC scored five straight to make it 64-61. Cougar senior Darian Hershberger then cemented the 66-61 win with two free throws (0:10.1). FTs: M-C 19 of 28 (68%), FC 7 of 10 (70%).)
Chatfield 69, Cannon Falls 98 (C: Ross Stoehr 15 pts; Carson Harstad 14 pts (8-9 FTs); Brandt McBroom 14 pts (3-5 threes), 8 asts; Brooks Lea 11 pts, 11 rebs. The 17-6 Bombers scored 56 second half points, Chatfield 45. It was 42-24 CF at the half.)
La Crosse Central 75, Caledonia 62 (C: G. King 19 pts (three threes); Colin Stemper 14 pts; A. Stemper 10 pts; C. Hammell 9 pts.)
LeRoy-Ostrander 59, Faribault B.A. 67 (LO: R. Hungerholt 28 pts (6-7 FTs), 6 rebs; G. Stockdale 19 pts (6-10 FGs, 4-8 threes), 7 rebs.)
Coulee Christian 34, Houston 62 (H: A. Florin 12 pts, 5 rebs; Axel Vix 8 pts, 6 rebs; Tilden Witt 6 pts, 8 rebs. The Hurricanes are 3-13 in the SEC, 4-20 overall)
Wabasha-Kellogg 71, LeRoy-Ostrander 54 (LO: R. Hungerholt 34 pts (6-12 threes). L-O is 3-13 in the SEC, 5-18 overall)
Leave a Reply