Jaguars three-peat! B-B-E clinches a share of the Central Minnesota Conference title for the third year in a row, wins vs. HL-W-W 81-76

The second-ranked Jaguars boys basketball team prevailed over a very physical, hard-nosed Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Lakers team 81-76 tonight in front of a packed hometown crowd.

The Jaguars shot out to a 6-0 lead with 80 seconds gone in the game, but HLWW responded with a 7-2 run over a one minute stretch and the tone of the rest of the game was set.

The Lakers pulled in front briefly at 22-20 but the Jaguars would hold a 38-33 lead at halftime.

Two early B-B-E turnovers to start the second half helped the Lakers score an 8-0 run out of the locker room to go up 41-38. The Jaguars, like a hornet's nest getting punched by a stick, lit up the scoreboard with a 12-0 run and eventually built a double digit lead that propelled them to a 22-0 start to the season. Key to the win was a 28-of-41 performance at the free throw line for B-B-E.

HL-W-W fell to 17-6 overall and 8-3 in the CMC with the loss. It was exactly the type of game the Jaguars needed, as the March playoffs are nearing. It did get a touch more physical than I'm sure the B-B-E coaches would have preferred, but the Jaguars persevered.

B-B-E is now 11-0 in the Central Minnesota Conference, and getting at least one win in their final three CMC games (vs. Pierz, Holdingford, EV-W) will guarantee an outright title for the third year in a row. Their next game is on Parents' Night, coming up on Tuesday, February 22, when sub-section rival Wheaton/Herman-Norcross comes to town. W/HN defeated Hancock 63-52 on the home floor in Wheaton tonight.

The tip off and opening minute of the game tonight. The Jaguars made some outstanding plays that had me thinking, "Did that just happen?"




Below, about nine minutes left in the second half, with the Jaguars leading 58-47 over HL-W-W. Kevin Kuefler hauls in a defensive rebound and on the other end of the court is fouled on a drive to the hoop.

More action from the second half, this is late in the game. HLWW got hot from the arc to whittle a double digit deficit down to as low as five points in the final two minutes.

At halftime tonight, the B-B-E Dazzlers high kick squad gave an outstanding performance in front of over 500 hometown fans.

Central Minnesota Conference boys basketball results on Feb. 18:
Rockford 68, Eden Valley-Watkins 66
Maple Lake 75, Holdingford 68 (OT!) at Holdingford
Pierz 77, Kimball Area 60

Area girls basketball scores on Feb. 18:
Albany 66, Melrose Area 38
Brandon/Evansville 64, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 40
Maccray 67, Montevideo 60
West Central Area 64, Ashby 36
Canby 57, Hancock 36 (a tough loss for the Owls)
Sauk Centre 83, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 23

Area boys basketball scores on Feb. 18:
Royalton 45, Osakis 41
Sebeka 75, New London-Spicer 67 (Sebeka remains unbeaten, after beating visiting NL-S tonight)
Ortonville 56, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 39
Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 78, Parkers Prairie 50
Wheaton-Herman-Norcross 63, Hancock 52
Underwood 53, Battle Lake 41 (A stunning loss, as the Battlers beat Underwood 58-37 on January 13)
Barnesville 85, West Central Area 70 (Barnesville is one of the top five teams in Sub-Section 6A-North)

A quick programming note, head coach Greg Hagen of the Jaguars girls basketball team will be interviewed on Smooth Magic 107 FM of Glenwood (107.1) on Saturday morning. It will begin airing around 7:20am.

More will follow on Saturday morning.

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