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
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