Jaguars in a battle at Maple Lake, rally for a convincing win

At halftime: Maple Lake 24, Jaguars 22. (Boys' basketball)

Rock on!! FINAL: B-B-E 57, IRISH 36.

BOOM!

A whopping 12 second-half points is all the Jaguars allowed for Maple Lake, as they swept the season series from the Irish after taking the first meeting by a 71-55 score on January 3. B-B-E is 18-1 overall and 8-0 in the Central Minnesota Conference; up next is Rockford Area on Friday at the friendly confines of the home court. The Rockets are 10-9 overall and 5-4 in the CMC; they have won five of their last six contests.

Central Minnesota Conf. boys' basketball scores on Feb. 5:
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winst. 61, Pierz 57 (@ Howard Lake; the Pioneers led 55-54 with 3 min. left)
Kimball Area 41, Eden Valley-Watkins 40 (@ Kimball; wow! what a border battle that was!)
Rockford Area 62, Holdingford 49 (@ Rockford)

Area girls' basketball scores on February 5:
Sauk Centre 46, Minnewaska Area 28
LP-GE 52, West Central Area 38
Eden Valley-Watkins 58, Benson 40
Staples-Motley 86, Pierz 38
Melrose Area 44, Holdingford 42 (Whew! Dutchmen win on a literal last-second shot, when Emily Goerdt sank a lob pass at the front of the rim as time expired to avoid overtime)

Area boys' basketball scores on February 5:
Sauk Centre 83, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 70
Browerville 43, West Central Area 38 (Knights get close to winning an upset in Browerville)
LP-GE 46, St. John's Prep 36
Litchfield 63, New London-Spicer 41
Osakis 63, Royalton 53
Ashby 64, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 57