Jaguars triumphant over Wildcats

Late in the game, Billy Borgerding is shown dribbling against heavy pressure by NL-S's Brett Olson. Both senior forwards finished the night with 15 points.

In a supercharged home environment with a packed crowd of Wildcat plus hometown fans, the Jaguars boys' basketball team defeated New London-Spicer 77-64 after surging past the visitors in the final 9 minutes of the game. The Wildcats (8-4) pulled in front for the last time with 9:40 left on a rebound put back to go up 56-55. About 40 seconds later, Billy Borgerding's 8-footer made it 57-56 and the Jaguars never trailed from there. In the final stretch, precision, cut throat offense by the Jaguars paid dividends as they got the lead up to 10 points with 6:43 left. The Wildcats cut it down to 6 points with 5:30 left on two free throws, but James Kuefler answered a minute later with a determined slash through the defense to put his team up 68-60.

Here's some first-half video from tonight:


Up next: the always-tough Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted at home on Thursday. The Lakers are 11-4 overall but have lost just one time in January, a 70-68 outcome to neighboring Dassel-Cokato this past Saturday. They're 6-1 in the Central Minnesota Conference, two games ahead of third-place Maple Lake and Rockford Area in the standings.

Just for fun...click here to read about the last visit by NL-S to the home of the Jaguars...February 2, 2012:
http://bbejaguars.blogspot.com/2012/02/b-b-e-leads-nl-s-at-halftime-by-non.html

Great job as ALWAYS Jaguar fans!

At Pierz, the Jaguars girls' basketball team lost 59-56 to fall to 7-6 overall. They have a few days of practice to regroup before traveling to Kimball Area on Friday for another tough conference game.

Area girls' basketball scores on January 20:
Albany 58, Sauk Centre 46 
Melrose Area 71, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 52

Area boys' basketball scores on January 20:
Sauk Centre 44, Montevideo 33
Redwood Valley 81, MACCRAY 47
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 57, Foley 45
Melrose Area 63, Holdingford 46