Jaguars Girls Basketball stung by last-second shot by Holdingford in a home CMC game, 41-39

The Jaguars girls basketball team lost 41-39 to Holdingford tonight. It's a broken record - another heartbreaking loss. They were stung on a last-second rebound putback by the Huskers, who improve to 6-5 in the Central Minnesota Conference and 12-9 overall.

Holdingford didn't score their first points of the game until the 7:58 mark in the first half. The Jaguars had built a 6-0 lead by that point, as both teams were playing near-flawless defense. A Huskers' field goal at the 7:30 mark in the first half made it 6-4, and Holdingford went on to pull in front 18-14 by halftime.

With 4:36 left in the second half, the Jaguars led 34-32. Two free throws by the Huskers' talented senior center Rachel Nelson tied the game.

Holdingford took a 39-37 lead into the final minute of the game. With 42 seconds left, the Jaguars took a timeout after the Huskers went 0/2 at the free throw line.

After the Jaguars worked down the clock while managing to hang onto possession, sophomore Raeann Sorenson fired up a tough baseline shot with heavy pressure, it crawled over the front rim to tie the game at 39-39 with 5.4 seconds left.

Holdingford fired a long pass downcourt, where senior guard Nicole Berscheid put up a driving shot that rimmed out. Senior guard Stephanie Hellmann quickly put back the rebound and scored with less than a second on the clock.
Game over.

Senior Rachel Anderson's double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds led the Jaguars, who are now 3-6 in the CMC and 6-14 overall.

I look for the Jaguars to light up Osakis next Tuesday night in Osakis for a non-conference game. Another close loss will only provide more motivation to take it out on a struggling Silverstreaks team that is 7-12 overall and 6-5 in the Prairie Conference.

Central Minnesota Conference girls basketball results:
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 65, Kimball Area 39
Pierz 58, Maple Lake 29
Rockford 66, Eden Valley-Watkins 56

Games involving Sub-Section 6A-South girls basketball teams:
Hancock 69, Ashby 36
Henning 56, Rothsay 46

Games involving Sub-Section 6A-South boys basketball teams:
Battle Lake 63, Rothsay 27
Browerville 51, Parkers Prairie 48
Hancock 68, Central MN Christian 66
Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 68, Ashby 30
Underwood 49, Brandon-Evansville 44

Area boys basketball results:
Albany 56, Melrose 54 (the Dutchmen give their neighboring state-ranked rivals a scare - that's what makes border battles exciting)
Breckenridge 69, West Central Area 59
Foley 75, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 66
Isle 61, Upsala 50
Mora 59, Sauk Centre 50
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 82, Lac qui Parle Valley 53
New London-Spicer 68, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 51
Ortonville 68, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 66
Staples-Motley 59, Minnewaska Area 46
Yellow Medicine East 65, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 60

Area girls basketball results:
Eagle Valley 53, Osakis 45
Benson 60, Montevideo 32
Minneota 68, MACCRAY 52
Sauk Centre 51, Mora 32
West Central Area 65, Breckenridge 31

This Jaguars sports update brought to you by: