We can chalk up two more wins on the hardwood after tonight! Both in road contests!
In a non-conference border battle at Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg, the B-B-E Jaguars girls' basketball team gave an outstanding performance while opening up the offense in a 78-69 win. The Fighting Saints (19-8) had nearly erased what was a 15-point deficit and trailed 52-50 with just under 9 minutes remaining. The Jaguars (16-10) have now won six straight heading into the playoffs!
Trailing 33-29 with under 90 seconds to go before halftime, the Fighting Saints tied it at 33-33 in the last 30 seconds. With just 6 seconds remaining, Grace Jackson drove off the left wing between two defenders for a go-ahead basket. Halftime: B-B-E 35, K-M-S 33.
The girls' basketball Jaguars shot a remarkable 50 percent from the floor and had great balance in scoring as 7 players scored 5 or more points. In double figures were Brooklyn Fischer (24), Adley Hagen (12) and Kacey Fischer (10). Next: the Jaguars will host a Sub-Section 5A-East quarterfinal game on Thursday, February 29 at 7 p.m. with an opponent to be determined. They are a lock for the No. 3 playoff seed behind Ogilvie and Braham.
Here's a video from the first half of tonight's game at K-M-S:
The video begins with 9:40 left in the first half and the Jaguars ahead 17-11. They initally built early leads of 5-2 and 11-6. The Fighting Saints then cut it to a 12-11 deficit before the Jaguars scored 5 straight before a K-M-S timeout.
Here's a video featuring the final stretch of the first half tonight:
The Jaguars finished in third place with a 9-5 record in the Central Minnesota Conference. Royalton locked up second place with a 58-44 win against visiting Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City tonight. The Royals went 10-4 in the CMC and hold a 14-10 overall record. Paynesville Area (14-12) took fourth in the CMC with a 7-7 record.
In boys' basketball news...
On the east side of Willmar down Highway 12, the B-B-E Jaguars boys' basketball team also gave an outstanding performance while defeating Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 77-66. The win moves them within a half game of third place at 7-5 in the Central Minnesota Conference. A-C-GC (12-11 overall) sits in third with an 8-5 record. The Jaguars (14-8) led 42-33 at halftime and were led by Kaden DeRoo and Luke Illies, who each had 20 points. Overall, they shot 47 percent from the floor while hitting from beyond the arc with a blistering 14-for-26 mark (53 percent).
Now 14-8 overall, the boys' basketball Jaguars have a huge sub-section contest on the home floor this Thursday night, when Brandon-Evansville visits. The Chargers are 12-10 overall and 9-5 (second) in the Little Eight Conference.
Central MN Conference boys' basketball scores on February 20:
Paynesville Area 72, Kimball Area 44
Holdingford 77, Royalton 64
More to come on Wednesday...**Later on Wednesday evening. I have had a terribly busy Wednesday. And there's church tonight!
