It is more than rare, nearly inconceivable to defeat a team that shoots 70%, but the Spring Grove boys did prevail 66-63 with 3-point shooting, a few more free throws and fewer turnovers in a high-level non-conference clash with La Crescent-Hokah on Jan. 24. The state-ranked Class A Lions improved to 12-1 while the Class AA Lancers slipped to 11-4. It was a 14-lead-change thriller from start to finish.
Photo by Lee Epps
In all 13 games thus far, this was the only time the Lions have been outscored in fast breaks (17-9) and also the first time to be outscored in the lane – and it was not even close, 47-27. LC-H took advantage of the height of 6-foot-7 senior Owen Bentzen and 6-4 senior Carter Todd, who combined for highly effective high-post-to-low-post passing. Todd had a game-high 29 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals while Bentzen tallied 16 points plus 6 rebounds and 4 assists. On the perimeter, 6-1 senior Noah Bjerke-Wieser added 11 points and 5 assists.
The Lancers’ 57% accuracy from 3-point land, 70% shooting from the field overall and 24 assists were all season-best statistics for a Lion opponent. But they also had 21 turnovers against an always-tenacious Spring Grove defense.
Both teams shot very well beyond the 3-point arc, but the visitors scored too efficiently near the basket to depend on an outside attack. While the Lions were outscored by 20 points in the paint, they countered with a 20-point advantage from the perimeter (34-14), featuring a sizzling 3-point blitz. Spring Grove attempted almost as many shots from downtown (24) as they did inside the arc (30) and made just enough of them to win (10 for 23, 44%). And with 11 fewer turnovers, Grove attempted more shots than did the visitors. With each team scoring 56 points from the field; the Lions won by more often getting to the foul line and making three more free throws (10-17, 59%) than did the Lancers (7-12, 58%).
Five of the eight Lions seeing action contributed to the 3-point assault, three scoring in double figures with Tysen Grinde (2 treys) accounting for 21 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 6 assists with no turnovers. Jaxon Strinmoen (3 treys) hit 6 of 7 shots while putting in 17 points to go with 4 rebounds and 2 steals. Elijah Solum (2 treys) scored 14 points while Jacob Olerud (2 treys) added 7 points and 3 steals while passing out 4 assists. Caleb Griffin (1 trey) had 3 assists and 2 steals.
The lead changed hands 14 times with six tie scores. Spring Grove led 30-29 at halftime. The greatest spread was the Lancers’ second-half, eight-point lead, 48-40. Trailing by five (52-47), the Lions scored on 9 of their final 12 possessions. Meanwhile, Lancer shooters went 4-for-4, but were foiled by five late turnovers. La Crescent-Hokah missed only three shots the entire second half (14 for 17), but there were 9 turnovers.
The Lions moved in front for good at 56-54 with a 3-ball from Olerud with 5:35 on the clock. That was the third of three straight treys (Olerud 2, Strinmoen 1). Down the stretch, Grove hit 6 of 8 free throws. Spring Grove has won five of the last six games versus La Crescent-Hokah, but the Lancers still dominate all-time, 24 wins to 11.
The Lion B-team (9-3) lost a heartbreaker, 31-30. La Crescent-Hokah also won the eighth grade game, 50-31, as well as the seventh grade contest, 27-20.
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SG 66, La Crescent-Hokah 63
SCORE by HALVES
SG 30+36=66
LCH 29+34=63
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 49% (23-47), LCH 70% (26-37)
2-pt FG: SG 54% (13-24), LCH 73% (22-30)
3-pt FG: SG 44% (10-23), LCH 57% (4-7)
Free throws: SG 59% (10-17), LCH 58% (7-12) Rebounds: SG 14, LCH 23; Turnovers: SG 10, LCH 21; 2nd Chance pts: SG 5, LCH 6; Fast break pts: SG 9, LCH 17; Pts. in paint: SG 27, LCH 47; Greatest lead: SG 5, LCH 8 ; Fouls: SG 14, LCH 11
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. * starter. Caleb Griffin 5P, 3A, 2S; *Tysen Grinde 21P, 6R, 6A, 3S; Hunter Holland 1R, 1A; *Ethan Crouch 2P, 1A, 1S, 2B; Logan Brumm – no stats; *Jacob Olerud 7P, 2R. 4A, 3S, 1B; *Jaxon Strinmoen 17P, 4R, 1A, 2S; *Elijah Solum 14P, 1R, 1A
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Spring Grove Boys BB 2023
* SEC game, home games in bold
12 wins, 1 loss (9-0 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
Thur. 01-26 Schaeffer Academy*
Mon. 01-30 LeRoy-Ostrander* 7:30
Tues. 01-31 at LeRoy-Ostrander
Thur. 02-02 Glenville-Emmons*
Fri. 02-03 at Lyle/Pacelli*(Lyle)
Mon. 02-06 Fillmore Central
Thur. 02-09 Southland*
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
9 wins, 3 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
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Spring Grove 8th Grade
5 wins, 4 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
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Spring Grove 7th Grade
6 wins, 2 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
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