Jaguar girls' basketball season ends

With the Jaguars down 28-22 early in the second half, Becca Gruber passes out of this Isle double team to Hailey Braegelman on the left block. Braegelman then knocked down a shot with 15 minutes to go.

Tri-captains Becca Gruber, Kinlee Swanson and Megan Weller accept the runner-up trophy tonight.

It was a tough ending to a very exciting playoff run.

State-ranked (#10) Isle ran away from the Jaguars girls' basketball team in the closing minutes of tonight's Sub-Section 5A-South championship game in front of a full house in Pierz. After the Jaguars got in front 34-33 with 9:33 left, the Huskies (27-2) went on a 7-0 run during a 56-seconds span in the game. A steal and layup by Isle with 8:24 left put them up 40-34, and they kept the lead the rest of the way.

Isle faces Browerville for the right to represent Section 5A at the state tournament; the two teams square off in Little Falls this Friday. Browerville beat Verndale 79-54 in the North championship.

Central Minnesota Conference champion Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted won their sub-section crown tonight and faces Annandale in Friday's Section 5AA championship in St. Cloud.

Here's some first-half video, with the Jaguars holding a 14-10 lead with over 7 minutes left:


Area girls' basketball playoff scores on March 11:
New London-Spicer 35, Eden Valley-Watkins 32 (Eagles led 21-16 at halftime)
Sauk Centre 52, Staples-Motley 28
Ada-Borup 58, Lake Park-Audubon 29
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 66, Watertown-Mayer 41
West Central Area 52, Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 31
Annandale 39, Braham 36