It was awesome efficiency on both ends of the floor as the visiting and state-ranked No. 14 Spring Grove boys overwhelmed Mabel-Canton, 85-39, on Friday the 13th in January of 2023. The Cougars (5-5, 4-4 SEC), who came in with a winning 5-4 record, were the latest rival to be engulfed by the Lions’ long-armed, trapping defense which finished with 22 steals and only 8 fouls. Spring Grove (7-1, 5-0 SEC) made considerably more free throws (10 for 15) than Mabel-Canton attempted (4 for 6).
Photo by Lee Epps
On offense, the Lions converted steals and rebounds into 28 fast-break points while shooting a season-best 55% from the field while also displaying a nearly flawless passing game with a season-best 18-to-4 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Mabel-Canton shot well enough to win most games (47%), but not often enough while burdened with 29 turnovers while attempting only 33 shots. The challenge, as for most Lion opponents thus far, was more getting a shot than making a shot. Two-time all-conference junior Cayden Tollefsrud led the Cougars with 16 hard-earned points.
Four Lions scored in double figures with 21 points from both returning All-SEC selections Tysen Grinde and Elijah Solum along with 19 points from Jaxon Strinmoen (8 for 11 shooting) and 11 from Jacob Olerud. Four Lions had multiple assists without a turnover: Strinmoen with 5 helpers, Grinde with 4, Ethan Crouch 3 and Hunter Holland 2. Grinde was also the steals leader with 6. Eleven Lions played with nine credited with rebounds with 5 each from Crouch, Solum and Strinmoen.
The Lions scored the first 10 points of the game on the way to a 24-3 start. Up 45-21 at intermissions, the Spring Grove then scored the first 15 points of the second half. It was the 26th consecutive win for the Lions in the all-time series they now lead, 88 wins to 39.
The Spring Grove B-team (6-1) led 31-3 at halftime and went on the win, 45-9. The eighth grade game went to the Lions, 53-30, as did the seventh grade contest, 36-32.
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SG 85, MC 36
SCORE by HALVES
SG 45+40=85
MC 21+15=36
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 55% (33-60), MC 47% (14-30)
2-pt FG: SG 62% (24-39), MC 71% (10-14)
3-pt FG: SG 43% (9-21), MC 25% (4-16)
Free throws: SG 67% (10-15), MC 67% (4-6)
Rebounds: SG 24, MC 20; Turnovers: SG 4, MC 29; 2nd Chance pts: SG 16, MC 3; Fast break pts: SG 28, MC 6; Pts. in paint: SG 54, MC 20; Greatest lead: SG 49, MC 0; Fouls: SG 8, MC 13
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. *starter. Caleb Griffin 3P, 2R, 1A, 2S; Nathan Crouch 1R; Isaac Nerstad 3P, 1R; *Tysen Grinde 21P, 2R, 4A, 6S; Hunter Holland 2A, 2S; Josh Newgaard 1P, 1S, 1B; *Ethan Crouch 5P, 5R, 3A, 3S; Logan Brumm out injured; *Jacob Olerud1P, 1R, 2A, 3S; Bryce Berns no stats; Dane Edgington 1P, 2R, 1S; *Jaxon Strinmoen 19P, 5R, 5A, 3S; *Elijah Solum 21P, 5R, 1A, 1S
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B-TEAM
SG 31+14=45
MC 3 + 6 = 9
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>>>SEC EAST Boys Basketball
Spring Grove^ 5 – 0 7 – 1
Schaeffer Aca. 6 – 1 8 – 5
Lanesboro 5 – 2 8 – 3
Mabel-Canton 4 – 4 5 – 5
Houston 2 – 9 2 – 8
>>>SEC WEST
Lyle/Pacelli^ 8 – 0 10- 2
Southland 5 – 2 – – 4
Kingsland 2 – 4 3 – 8
LeRoy Ostrander 1 – 5 2 – 9
G’ville-Emmons 1 – 7 2 – 8
Grand Meadow 0 – 8 0 -13
^defending champion
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Spring Grove Boys BB 2023
* SEC game, home games in bold
6 wins, 1 loss (4-0 SEC)
12-19 LeRoy-Ostrander,* ppd
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
Mon. 01-16 at Schaeffer Academy*
Tues. 01-17 Houston*
Thur. 01-19 Lanesboro*
Mon. 01-23 at Kingsland*
Tues. 01-24 La Crescent-Hokah
Thur. 01-26 Schaeffer Academy*
Mon. 01-30 LeRoy-Ostrander* 7:30
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
6 wins, 1 loss
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
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Spring Grove 8th Grade
3 wins, 2 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
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Spring Grove 7th Grade
3 wins, 1 loss
W at Lanesboro 48-24
L a Caledonia 23-26
W at Southland 29-26
W at Mabel-Canton 36-32
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