There was so much to overcome for the Spring Grove boys, who needed overtime to turn back a determined upset bid from Southland, 47-42. The Feb. 7 home decision, a 31st consecutive conference victory, assured the Lions at least a share of the Southeast Conference East Division championship. Two of the most productive Lions, Jaxon Strinmoen and Jacob Olerud, were both at home ill. The Lions had dominated the Rebels by 24 points back in January at Adams, but there would be no such mismatch in the rematch. Southland came in with an 11-8 record to face 18-1 Spring Grove, which had just jumped into the top 10, state-ranked at No. 9 among Class A teams. But the Rebels also entered energized after just avenging a previous 21-point loss to Schaeffer Academy, 74-70.
Photo by Lee Epps
The short-handed Lions suffered through their coldest shooting game of the season and also their worst assist-to-turnover ratio with 11 assists and 16 turnovers. Averaging just under 9 turnovers per game, the Lions had 12 before halftime. But the Lions would rally from behind to win while losing possession only once during their final 26 possessions. After shooting a good 48% from the field on Southland’s home court in early January, the Grove guys managed only a season-low 35% on their own floor in the February rematch. But Southland shot only 33 and had 20 turnovers. At the free throw line, SG went 7 for 11 and the visitors 6 for 11.
One remarkable constant was Elijah Solum, who scored exactly 26 points against the Rebels in both games. This time, the junior guard accounted for more than half of Spring Grove’s points. Caleb Griffin added 13 points and pulled down a career-high 8 rebounds. Only four Lions scored, including 6 points from Tysen Grinde, who also rebounded 8 times. Gavin Nelsen led Rebel scorers with 14 points; teammate Sam Boe had a game-high 11 rebounds..
It was tight all night with the five tie scores and neither team leading by more than six points. The Rebels led 17-15 at halftime, the fewest first-half points for Spring Grove in 48 games. The Lions did not lead until more than six minutes into the second half, 30-28. Southland
pulled even with 3:51 to play and took the lead a minute later with a Nelsen 3-pointer. But the Rebels would not score again – in either regulation time or in overtime.
A Solum 3-ball tied it again (42-42) with 1:37 on the regulation clock. Then a steal by Ethan Crouch allowed the Lions to run the clock down for a final shot, It did not go in, and it was on to overtime. That final tie was broken by Hunter Holland, who had not attempted a free throw all night, but netted a pair of charity chances to put Spring Grove ahead with 1:21 left in the extra period. After Caleb Griffin added another free throw, Solum drove for the only field goal in overtime to make it a two-possession lead with 24 seconds remaining.
Spring Grove improved to 19-1 overall and 15-0 in the SEC East. Southland returned home at 11-9 overall and 10-6 in the conference to remain in second place in the SEC West. It was the Lions’ fifth straight win in the series, which they lead 57 wins to 33.
The Lion B-team lost 36-27, falling twice to Southland this season. Th eighth grade squad lost again to the Rebels as well, this time, 54-42. The SG seventh graders won, 34-18, to complete a season sweep of Southland.
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SG 47, Southland 42 OT
SCORE by HALVES
SG 15+27+5=47
Sou 17+25+0=42
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 35% (17-48), Sou 33% (16-49)
2-pt FG: SG 48% (11-23), Sou 46% (12-30)
3-pt FG: SG 24% (6-25), Sou 21% (4-19)
Free throws: SG 64% (7-11), Sou 55% (6-11)
Rebounds: SG 29, Sou 35; Turnovers: SG 16, Sou 20; 2nd Chance pts: SG 2, Sou 3; Fast break pts: SG 2, Sou 6; Pts. in paint: SG 23, Sou 24; Greatest lead: SG 5, Sou 6; Fouls: SG 15, Sou 12
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. * starter. *Caleb Griffin 13P, 8R, 1A; Isaac Nerstad no stats; *Tysen Grinde 6P, 8R, 3A, 5S; *Hunter Holland 2P, 1R, 3A, 1S; *Ethan Crouch 6R, 2A, 3S, 3B; Logan Brumm no stats; Jacob Olerud out illness; Jaxon Strinmoen out illness; *Elijah Solum 26P, 6R, 2A, 2S, 1B
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Spring Grove Boys Basketball 2023
* SEC game, home games in bold
19 wins, 1 loss (15-0 SEC)
W at Lanesboro* 71-52
W at Glenville-Emmons* 75-27
L vs. Dawson-Boyd 57-66
W vs. Higher Ground Academy 83-39
W at Southland* 57-33
W vs. Mankato Loyola 61-54
W at Grand Meadow 64-27
W at Mabel-Canton*85-36
W at Schaeffer Academy* 69-37
W vs. Houston*67-21
W vs. Lanesboro*60-46
W at Kingsland*72-37
W vs. La Crescent-Hokah 66-63
W vs. Schaeffer Academy*65-35
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander* 81-27
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 93-24
W vs. Glenville-Emmons*72-31
W at Lyle/Pacelli*46-40
W vs. Fillmore Central 69-65
W vs Southland*47-42 OT
Sat. 02-11 Rushford-Peterson 5:45 pm
Mon. 02-13 Kingsland*
Thur. 02-16 at LeRoy-Ostrander*
Fri. 02-17 Grand Meadow*
Mon. 02-20 Mabel-Canton*
Fri. 02-24 at Houston*
Sat. 02-25 Lyle/Pacelli (approx. 5:15 p.m.)
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Spring Grove B-team
14 wins, 4 losses
W at Lanesboro 45-20
W at Glenville-Emmons 53-31
W vs. Dawson-Boyd 34-30
W vs. Higher Ground Academy 52-13
L at Southland 35-47
W vs. Loyola 46-23
W at Mabel-Canton 45-9
Wat Schaeffer Academy 61-25
W vs. Houston 52-19
W vs. Lanesboro 35-24
L at Kingsland 41-44
L vs. La Crescent-Hokah 30-31
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 49-25
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 54-18
W vs. Glenville-Emmons 57-36
W at Lyle/Pacelli 26-24
W vs. Fillmore Central 46-38
L vs. Southland 27-36
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Spring Grove 8th Grade
6 wins, 7 losses
W at Lanesboro 48-24
L at Caledonia 29-37
L at Southland 41-55
W at Grand Meadow 48-14
W at Mabel-Canton 53-30
W at Schaeffer Academy 41-31
W vs. Houston 49-18
L vs. Kingsland 12-43
L vs. La Crescent-Hokah 31-50
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 38-26
L vs. Fillmore Central 15-42
L vs. Southland 42-54
L vs. Caledonia 32-42
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Spring Grove 7th Grade
9 wins, 4 losses
W at Lanesboro 48-24
L a Caledonia 23-26
W at Southland 29-26
W at Mabel-Canton 36-32
W at Schaeffer Academy 31-15
W vs. Houston 38-21
W vs. Kingsland 25-20
L vs. La Crescent-Hokah 20-27
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 26-13
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 23-21
L vs. Fillmore Central 34-39
W vs. Southland 34-18
L vs. Caledonia 26-31
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