Girls' basketball blasts Royalton on the road (VIDEO, UPDATES)

While playing incredible, lights-out defense down the stretch and utilizing outstanding, unselfish play from wire to wire, the B-B-E Jaguars girls' basketball team picked up a blowout win at Royalton tonight by an 84-58 score.

With two strong offensive showings in each half, the Jaguars led 33-12 in the first half with about 5 minutes to go as their press and fast break took over the game. They led 42-26 at the break. The lead never shrank below 12 points in the second half. With just under 11 minutes to go, the Jaguars led 62-43.

Abby Berge led all scorers with 27 points. She was part of a trio of seniors in double figures. Tiyana Schwinghammer poured in 16 points on 7-of-11 field goal shooting, and Allison Dingmann also had an outstanding game with 14 points on 7-of-13 field goal shooting. Junior Brooklyn Fischer scored 13 points, and she made four of her seven field goals shots and went five of six at the line.

Royalton had just two players in double figures.

Also noteworthy: the Jaguars had a strong showing at the free throw line, a place they've struggled this year. Tonight they went 25-of-32 for a 78 percent mark at the charity stripe.

The win knocks the Royals out of a virtual first-place tie with Holdingford for the Central Minnesota Conference lead. They fall to 5-5 overall and 2-1 in the CMC, while the Jaguars are now 7-2 overall and 3-1 in the CMC, just one game out of first. Holdingford is 9-2 overall and 4-0 in the CMC in first place alone. They won tonight against visiting Eden Valley-Watkins in a defensive battle 41-32 for their ninth straight win. Paynesville won 60-31 tonight at Maple Lake to move to 3-1 in the CMC.

... and how could I forget? Well, I can't, of course! Abby Berge finished the game with 998 career points. She needs two free throws or one made field goal on Friday to hit that 1,000 point mark!


NEXT: the No. 15-ranked (Minnesota Basketball News) Jaguars host Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City in Brooten at the elementary school on Friday (tomorrow) at 6 p.m. B-B-E's JV and C-squads will both play at 4:45 p.m. in the elementary gyms. The Falcons are 2-7 overall and 1-3 in the CMC. They have a respectable offense with 50.1 points per game, but their defensive average has led to the 7 losses with a mark of 57.4 points per game.

OTHER scheduling notes for Friday: B-B-E's JV boys' basketball team will not play against Maple Lake, as the Irish do not field a JV team this year. B-B-E's C-squad will play at 6 p.m. in our elementary's small gym while the varsity girls' basketball team plays their contest. Our varsity boys' basketball team will tip off with Maple Lake for a conference game at about 7:30 p.m. in the elementary. This all stems from the current referee shortage that is plaguing youth sports across America.

ALSO: the No. 5-ranked B-B-E Jaguars wrestling team begins the Paynesville tournament at 2 p.m. on Friday. I talk about this in my sports video posted below.

*Here's a short video clip from early in the first half:


The shot by Harley Roering comes with about 13:30 on the clock in the first half.

*Here's my latest installment of a winter sports show:


More to come! More video is uploading. I should get that posted some time after midnight. I am also working on a sports show video! (DONE)

Central MN Conference girls' basketball scores on January 12:
Holdingford 41, Eden Valley-Watkins 32
Paynesville Area 60, Maple Lake 31
Kimball Area 53, A-C-GC 36

Area girls' basketball scores on January 12:
Browerville 56, Verndale 53
Mountain Iron-Buhl 96, Northwoods 51
Pine City 96, Ogilvie 68
Minnewaska Area 36, Melrose Area 28
Yellow Medicine East 65, Dawson-Boyd 54
Albany 67, St. Cloud Cathedral 35
South Ridge 59, Cromwell-Wright 58 OT (big win for South Ridge, who is ranked No. 37 on the QRF compared to Cromwell-Wright's ranking of No. 8)