Photo by Lee Epps
Down 51-50, the Lions regained the lead with 3-balls from Ethan Crouch and Isaac Nerstad. A jump shot from Jacob Olerud and two free throws from Nerstad made it a six-point game with 45 seconds to play. Lancer junior Berkley Mlsna nailed a 3-pointer at 0:36, and Grove missed a free throw at 0:21 to provide La Crescent-Hokah a chance to send it to overtime.
While Parker McQuin was tossing in 29 points for the Lancers, Olerud scored a career-high 23 points for the Lions. Olerud accomplished that despite sitting out in foul trouble during that critical seven-minutes while La Crescent-Hokah was wiping out that 14-point deficit.
Jaxon Strinmoen had a strong overall game with 9 points to go with a career-high 13 rebounds and a career-best 8 assists. Ben Udstuen contributed 12 points and 9 rebounds.
Despite a shaky two-turnover start and quick four-point deficit, Spring Grove led almost all game. The Lions separated from a 12-12 tie with a 13-point run on the way to a 33-22 halftime lead. Later, the Lancers scored on 10 of 14 possessions during a 22-to-7 run to take a 51-50 lead with a McQuin perimeter 2-pointer with 4:21 remaining.
Forty-seven seconds later, Crouch netted his only trey attempt of the game to put Grove back in front to stay, 53-51. The Lions would nurse that lead until Strinmoen rebounded at the buzzer.
Both teams hit seven triples. The Lions finished with one more 2-point field goal and one more free throw than did the home team. Both squads had 8 steals, but the Lancers turned theirs into 9 fast-break points (SG 0). While La Crescent-Hokah had a nine-point advantage in overall fast breaks, the Grove guys had a nine-point advantage with post-entry passes.
Spring Grove improved to 2-0, while it was the first loss for La Crescent-Hokah (3-1). The Lions have now won six of the last seven games in the series the Lancers still lead, 24 to 12.
Spring Grove won the B-team game, 41-32.
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SG 60, La Crescent-Hokah 57
SCORE by HALVES
SG… 33+27=60
LCH 22+35=57
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 43% (23-53), LCH 40% (22-55)
2-pt FG: SG 52% (16-31), LCH 60% (15-25)
3-pt FG: SG 32% (7-22), LCH 23% (7-30)
Free throws: SG 70% (7-10), LCH 86% (6-7)
Rebounds: SG 33, LCH 25
Turnovers: SG 15, LCH 11
2nd Chance pts: SG 6, LCH 2
Fast break pts: SG 2, LCH 11
Pts. in paint: SG 29, LCH 27
Greatest lead: SG 14, LCH 5
Fouls: SG 16, LCH 15
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. * starter
*Ben Udstuen 12P, 9R, 2A, 1S
*Isaac Nerstad 7P, 3R, 1A, 2S
Zach Brumm 2P, 3R, 2A, 1S, 1B
*Ethan Crouch 5P, 5R, 3A, 1S, 2B
*Jacob Olerud 23P, 1R, 1A, 2S
Bryce Berns 2P, 1R, 1A
*Jaxon Strinmoen 9P, 13R, 8A, 1S, 1B
Elijah Solum out injured
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Spring Grove Varsity Boys (2-0, 1-0 SEC)
W at Schaeffer Academy 68-36
W at La Crescent-Hokah 60-57
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12/19 at LeRoy-Ostrander
12/21 Glenville-Emmons
12/22 Lanesboro
01/04 at Lyle/Pacelli
01/05 Southland
01/06 vs. Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton (at Hayfield)
01/09 at Grand Meadow
01/12 Mabel-Canton
01/15 at Houston
01/16 at Kingsland
01/19 at Lanesboro
01/25 Kingsland
01/26 Schaeffer Academy 7:30 pm
01/29 at Fillmore Central (Preston)
02/01 LeRoy-Ostrander
02/02 at Glenville-Emmons 6 p.m.
02/05 Lyle/Pacelli
02/08 at Southland
02/10 at Rushford-Peterson 5 p.m.
02/12 Rochester STEM Academy
02/15 Grand Meadow
02/16 Martin County West 6:15 p.m.
02/19 at Mabel-Canton
02/23 Houston
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Spring Grove B-team (1-0)
W at La Crescent-Hokah 41-32