The Spring Grove boys opened the basketball season with a 45-51 win against New Hampton (Iowa Class 2A out of four classes). With a Dec. 4, Saturday morning tip-off, it was the first game at the annual Iowa-Minnesota Border Battle at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
Photo by Lee Epps
The Lions opened the second half with a 17-to-4-point run for a seven-point lead. After New Hampton (0-3) had led by as many as nine points before halftime, Spring Grove would lead by nine points in the second half. But the Chickasaws would get back within two points (43-41) with 54 seconds remaining.
With the Chickasaws forced to foul, the Lions would falter late at the foul line, hitting only 2 of 6 free throws in the final half-minute. Hunter Holland did not attempt a free throw, but he made two possession-saving, possibly game-saving plays in the final 40 seconds to provide charity chances for teammates. After the junior guard dove for a loose ball to prevent a turnover, a Tysen Grinde free throw made it a three-point margin, 44-41. And then after a Lion teammate missed the front end of a 1-and-1 free throw, Holland got half of a held-ball rebound. The possession arrow gave the ball back to the Lions, and forced New Hampton to foul again. With the double bonus opportunity, Grinde missed the first free throw and hit the second to make it a two-score lead (45-41) with only 0:07 on the clock.
Grinde had team highs with 20 points, 8 rebounds and 5 steals – despite sitting out six minutes in early foul trouble. He left with the score tied at 10 before the Chickasaws scored nine unanswered points on the way to a 19-13 halftime lead. Grinde nailed 3 of 6 shots beyond the 3-point arc with all three made treys coming while Spring Grove surged back into the lead during the third quarter (Games in Iowa are played with four quarters). New Hampton outscored SG in every period except the third.
Sophomore Elijah Solum added 12 points and was the assist leader with five of the team’s nine helpers. Grinde and Solum combined for 32 of Spring Grove’s 45 points.
The Lions were not often able to penetrate the Chickasaw defense and therefore attempted more 3-point shots than 2-pointers. Five players contributed to Spring Grove sinking 7 of 24 from afar (29%), which was just enough to outscore New Hampton from the field, 37-36. Nearly half Spring Grove’s points (21) came from the perimeter – just enough to overcome the Chickasaws’ 32-to-22 scoring advantage in the lane. The Lions held a three-point margin at the foul line, primarily by limiting the Iowans to only six free throws (5 for 6).
Otherwise, it was a statistical stalemate. Spring Grove had one more steal, one fewer rebound (23-24) and one fewer assist – but also one fewer turnover (11-12). Before New Hampton was forced to foul at the end, the Lions had one more foul.
It was the fourth Border Battle appearance for the Lion boys, but it was their first win. They were without returning all-conference senior Carson Gerard, who is recovering from a football injury. And Jaxon Strinmoen had just come off the injured list. It was the first varsity starts for junior guard Caleb Griffin (7 points) and sophomore Ethan Crouch.
————————
SCORE by QUARTERS
>>SG 5+8+19+
>>NH 10+9+6+16 = 41
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 37% (15-41), NH 43% (17-40)
2-pt FG: SG 47% (8-17), NH 48% (15-31)
3-pt FG: SG 29% (7-24), NH 22% (2-9)
Free throws: SG 57% (8-14), NH 83% (5-6)
Rebounds: SG 23, NH 24; Turnovers: SG 11, NH 12; 2nd Chance points: SG 6, NH 4; Fast break points: SG 6, NH 4; Points in paint: SG 22, NH 32; Greatest lead: SG 9, NH 9; Fouls: SG 12, NH 15
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. *starter. *Caleb Griffin 7P, 1A; *Tysen Grinde 20P, 8R, 1A, 5S; *Hunter Holland 3P, 2R, 1A, 1S; *Ethan Crouch 1S; Logan Brumm no stats; Jacob Olerud 3P, 3R, 1A; Carson Gerard out injured; Jaxon Strinmoen 4R; *Elijah Solum 12P, 6R, 5A, 1S, 1B
—————————————————————–
Spring Grove Boys Basketball 2021-’22 (*conference game)
1-0 (0-0 SEC)
W vs. New Hampton, Iowa 45-41
Tues. 12/07 Houston*
Fri. 12/10 Lyle/Pacelli*
Sat. 12/11 at North Linn, Iowa (Coggon, IA) 2:30 pm
Fri. 12/17 at Southland* (Adams)
Tues. 12/21 Lanesboro*
>>>Rushford-Peterson Tournament
Tues. 12/28 at Rushford-Peterson, 7 pm
Wed. 12/29 vs. Randolph or Dover-Eyota (at Rushford) time TBD
Tues. 01/04 at Mabel-Canton*
Fri. 01/07 at Schaeffer Academy*
Mon. 01/10 Kingsland (non-conference)
Tues. 01/11 Grand Meadow*
Fri. 01/14 at Fillmore Central (Preston) 7:30 pm
Mon. 01/17 at Houston*
Tues. 01/18 at La Crescent-Hokah 7 pm
Fri. 01/21 at Martin County West (Sherburn) 7 pm
Sat. 01/22 at Madelia 1 pm
Tues. 01/25 at Kingsland*
Thur. 01.27 Waukon
Fri. 01/28 Mabel-Canton*
Thur. 02/03 Glenville-Emmons*
Fri. 02/04 at Lanesboro*
Mon. 02/07 Southland (non-conference)
Fri. 02/11 at LeRoy-Ostrander*
Mon. 02/14 St. Charles
Thur. 02/17 Schaeffer Academy*