Jaguars boys basketball drubs Maple Lake 59-41, Jaguars girls fall at home to Melrose

The Jaguars were rock solid at every phase of the game defensively tonight against Maple Lake.

In a showdown of top teams in the Central Minnesota Conference tonight, the Jaguars boys basketball team upended visiting Maple Lake 59-41 to improve to 7-0 overall. The Jaguars led 20-14 after a very low-scoring first half.

Both teams made runs in the second half, and after the Jaguars went up 40-24 with 8:49 left in the game, the Irish cut it down to 45-37 on a Mitch Wurm three pointer with 5:45 left.

That was all they'd get, as the Jaguars poured it on from there and won by double digits. Great shooting from two-point range fueled the win, as the Jaguars went 24-for-40 inside the arc. They also out-rebounded the Irish by a big 38-20 margin.

Central Minnesota Conference boys basketball results on Jan. 4:
Kimball 64, Eden Valley-Watkins 63 OT
Pierz 72, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 60 (look out for the Pioneers)
Rockford 75, Holdingford 66

Second half action between B-B-E and Maple Lake on January 4. The Jaguars had opened up a 38-22 lead with under 10:00 left, after leading 20-14 at halftime.

The Jaguars girls basketball team led early against visiting Melrose Area before falling behind on a Dutchmen 15-5 run to end the first half. Halftime score: Melrose 29, B-B-E 23.

The Jaguars, who jumped out to an 8-0 lead right after tip off, had led 18-14 before they gave up the big run in the final three minutes of the first half. Final score: Melrose 58, B-B-E 39.

Cold shooting spelled doom for the Jaguars, as they cooled off after a hot start and ended up going 16-for-54 from the field. They were 0-for-7 from beyond the arc.

The game was aired on The Train 106.5 FM out of Norway Lake/Sunburg, with Bill Dean and Don Leukam giving their usual high-quality coverage for the Jaguars. (Thanks guys)

Below, here's a glimpse of what went wrong towards the end of the first half against Melrose tonight. The Dutchmen came back from trailing through most of the first half to take a 29-23 lead at the break. Here they pull ahead 24-23 with two minutes left in the first half. (Yes, I have clips that show the Jaguars playing better from earlier in the game.)


Area boys basketball results on January 4:
Minnewaska Area 64, New London-Spicer 62 (a big win for the Lakers in New London)
Dawson-Boyd 78, Renville County West 49
MACCRAY 83, Lakeview 41
Central Minnesota Christian 69, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 38
Underwood 64, Hancock 46
Barnesville 66, Norman County East 62
Hawley 64, Ulen-Hitterdal 54
Henning 53, Parkers Prairie 39
West Central Area 71, Brandon/Evansville 66 (2 OT)
Eagle Valley 56, Osakis 49
Ashby 66, Campbell-Tintah-Fairmont 53
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 62, BOLD 49

Area girls basketball results on January 4:
Sauk Centre 57, A-C-GC 35
Maple Lake 40, Royalton 24
Underwood 46, Brandon/Evansville 28
Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 51, Ashby 19
Benson 76, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 65
Yellow Medicine East 44, BOLD 30
MACCRAY 53, Lac qui Parle Valley 52
Hancock 49, Dawson-Boyd 44
Kimball 44, Milaca 30
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 59, Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 54
Holdingford 74, Swanville 48
Albany 58, Eden Valley-Watkins 43
LP-GE 47, Minnewaska Area 28
New London-Spicer 77, Paynesville Area 41

Area wrestling results on Jan. 4:
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 45, BOLD 13
Mora 39, New London-Spicer 28
Paynesville Area 44, Sibley East 28
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 34, Paynesville 33

This Jaguars sports update is brought to you by: