Jaguars boys basketball team's slim halftime lead holds to the end in a 56-54 win at Sauk Centre

We'll just say, it's been a battle. Sauk Centre has been playing some outstanding defense.

The Streeters (2-3) took early leads of 5-4 and 14-9 before the Jaguars went on an 8-2 run to go up 18-16. It was neck and neck from there until the Jaguars pulled ahead 30-25 at halftime.

In the second half, Sauk Centre snuck ahead a couple times, leading 49-48 with under three minutes to go.

With 2:20 left in the game, the Jaguars held a slim 51-49 lead.

The game went down to the wire, with Sauk Centre taking a 49-48 lead with a little over two minutes remaining. The Jaguars then took a four point lead when Kevin Kuefler took it coast to coast for a layup and a 53-49 lead before the Streeters cut it to a 53-52 game.

Kuefler made three of four free throws in the final minute to ice the game. The Streeters launched a shot at the buzzer that was counted as time expired, making it 56-54.

The Jaguars improved to 4-0 with the win, while the Streeters dipped below .500 at 2-3 overall. The B-squad Jaguars defeated the Mainstreeters 70-30.

Up next for the Jaguars boys basketball team: (hopefully) a short trip to A-C-GC high school for the championship game of the 2010 pre-season clash, where they will face West Central Area at 8:00pm.

WCA (3-1) just lost to Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton in a Heart O' Lakes Conference game tonight in a high scoring affair 83-72 for their first loss of the season. D-G-F (2-2) went an unheard of 14-of-24 from three-point land to spoil the Knights' home opener.

A hard-to-believe boys basketball score: Kimball Area 33, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 31. Kimball (4-0) had three wins over sub par opponents before facing the previously-undefeated Thunder in the a tournament opener hosted by the Cubs. I'm anxious to hear more on that game.

It's common knowledge among followers of the Central Minnesota Conference that the boys' side of the league this winter will be stronger than it was last year. Kimball's win tonight shows just that.

Area boys basketball results on December 16:
Kimball Area 33, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 31
Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 83, West Central Area 72
Maple Lake 70, Rush City 51
Eden Valley-Watkins 46, Royalton 42
Dassel-Cokato 57, Rockford 54
Pierz 69, Becker 38
Hancock 51, Ortonville 33
Holdingford 63, Onamia 46
Battle Lake 62, Ashby 55
Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 62, Hancock 26 (ouch)
Brandon/Evansville 58, Parkers Prairie 56 (B/E is 4-0)

Area girls basketball results on December 16:
Paynesville Area 52, Montevideo 39
Brandon/Evansville 45, Osakis 43 (OT)
Upsala 70, Swanville 38
Milnor (N.D.) 32, Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 29

Area wrestling results on December 16:
Pierz 64, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 18
Kimball Area 54 Royalton/Upsala 12 (a CMC match)
Delano 36 Rockford 33