Jaguars trail at halftime to the state-ranked Lakers

Megan Weller (40) and Becca Gruber (44) defend the paint in this photo from the first half tonight.

In a Central MN Conference game, the host B-B-E Jaguars girls' basketball team trails 24-17 at halftime to the state-ranked (Class AA) HL-W-W Lakers.

After falling back 4-0 in the opening minute of the game, the Jaguars kept it close for the entire first half. A 7-2 lead by the Lakers was cut to three with a shot by Brittany Roelike with 13:50 left, and the Jaguars hung around up to the first buzzer with good prevent defense and some good close-range shooting.

Here's the starter introductions...
 

*Update: that was a tough second half! The Lakers (7-2, 3-0 CMC) go home with a 53-35 win. They were ranked #15 in the latest Class AA poll (Minnesota Basketball News) just released earlier today.

The Lakers played a highly-active defense that swarmed the court all night, resulting in passing lanes being few and far between for the Jaguars.

Lined up for the National Anthem.

Central Minnesota Conference girls' hoops scores on December 20:
Eden Valley-Watkins 65, Pierz 38
Maple Lake 57, Rockford Area 39

Area wrestling scores on December 20:
Paynesville Area 57, Minnewaska Area 15
Quad County 42, Paynesville Area 25
Quad County 51, Minnewaska 24
Holdingford 60, HL-W-W 6
Pierz 54, Mora 15
Hutchinson 34, New London-Spicer 33 (Hutch wins heavyweight by decision 14-8)

Area boys' basketball scores on December 20:
Albany 65, Pierz 55
Annandale 58, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 53
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 88, Yellow Medicine East 43
Dawson-Boyd 88, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 13
Ulen-Hitterdal 55, Ada-Borup 53
West Central Area 66, Royalton 38

Area girls' basketball scores on December 20:
Albany 66, Princeton 57
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 59, West Central Area 55
Minnewaska Area 41, Yellow Medicine East 37
New London-Spicer 51, Morris Area/Chokia-Alberta 28
Parkers Prairie 67, Henning 29
Paynesville Area 51, Melrose Area 48
Sauk Centre 67, Lac qui Parle Valley 33
Upsala 45, Osakis 37