Jaguars shoot past Rockets

In a run-and-gun game tonight in the Jaguars boys' basketball team returned to their home court against Rockford and recorded a 91 to 71 win. They're now 12-1 overall and 6-0 in the Central Minnesota Conference. After leading 45-30 at halftime, the Jaguars started out strong in the second half and built a 20-point lead in the first three minutes. Shots by Billy Borgerding and Brian Goodwin made it 49-33, and Trey Heinsius and Nick Benton followed with rebound shots in the paint for a 53-33 lead. Goodwin was opening up a personal scoring binge, when he drained 10 points in a span of 2 minutes, 18 seconds of game time. His three-point play with 12:20 left put the Jaguars ahead 63-43, and he finished with 32 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds.

A three-pointer by Tanner Heinsius with 10 minutes left expanded the lead to 71-48, and just seconds later he drained two free throws to make it a 25-point game. The sophomore guard was on his way to a career-high 19 points.

James Kuefler also had a huge night, scoring 17 points, the most so far this season.

An 81-67 deficit with 2:39 left was the closest the Rockets would get down the stretch as they fell to 8-5 overall and 3-3 in the CMC.

The boys' basketball team's next game is at Kimball Area this Friday; it will be covered by the Train.

Here's action from the fast-paced first half tonight:

At Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted, the Jaguars girls' basketball team lost 76-37.

At Pierz, the Jaguars wrestling team lost 52-12 in their first match of a Central Minnesota Conference triangular.

Central Minnesota Conference boys' basketball scores on January 14:
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 66, Eden Valley-Watkins 52
Maple Lake 72, Pierz 51

Central Minnesota Conference girls' basketball scores on January 14:
Holdingford 44, Kimball Area 41

Area girls' basketball scores on January 14:
Isle 64, Upsala 63 
Melrose Area 65, Paynesville Area 54 
Henning 60, West Central Area 53
MACCRAY 55, Yellow Medicine East 46
Sauk Centre 85, Benson 28

Area boys' basketball scores on January 14:
Sartell-St. Stephen 63, Melrose Area 56
Sauk Centre 67, Staples-Motley 63 
Minneota/Lincoln HI 69, MACCRAY 65
Browerville 61, Osakis 52
Paynesville Area 66, Benson 48
Glencoe-Silver Lake 66, New London-Spicer 63