Two CMC basketball wins (VIDEO)

As they look to continue to climb in the Central Minnesota Conference standings, the B-B-E Jaguars boys' basketball team knew they had to take care of business and continue the trajectory of improvement they've been on in recent weeks. In a road game at Maple Lake tonight, the Jaguars did just that as they completely dismantled a two-win Irish team in a "double-up" win by a 68-34 score.

Taylor Pieper and Josh Walstrom each scored 18 points to pace the Jaguars.

In the first half, the Jaguars shot the lights out with 58 percent field goal shooting as they built a 45-16 lead by the break. Next: the Jaguars (7-15, 5-7 CMC) have a border battle game next Tuesday, February 18 at New London-Spicer (1-21).

On the home floor tonight for Parents and Seniors night, the B-B-E Jaguars girls' basketball team came on like gangbusters in the first half during a 67-51 win against Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City. The Falcons led 20-10 with 8:40 left in the first half before the Jaguars went into "lock down" defensive mode and built a 38-24 halftime lead. With 4:30 left before halftime, Bree Thieschafer drained a one-handed floater on a drive from the right wing to force a 20-20 tie. The Jaguars were surging with a 17-0 run going before the Falcons got a fastbreak shot to make it a 27-22 score.

As the second half got rolling, the Jaguars had a 9-2 run for a 47-28 lead. A-C-GC could get no closer than a 13-point deficit the rest of the way.

Thieschafer was the leading scorer with 20 points. The Jaguars have now won six straight games.

Here's action from the first half tonight:


Next: the girls' basketball team (18-7, 11-2) travels to undefeated Royalton next Tuesday to conclude the regular season. In the latest Minnesota Basketball News state rankings, the Jaguars moved up to No. 7 in Class 1A. By the QRF rankings, the Jaguars have climbed to No. 15.

In a Central Minnesota Conference game played last night in Royalton, the host Royals defeated Paynesville Area 60-33 to clinch the title outright. Royalton was also solo CMC champions in the 2019-2020 season, when they went 23-6 overall and 13-1 in the CMC. They finished one game ahead of runner-up Eden Valley-Watkins that season, which was their inaugural season in the CMC. In 2018-2019, the Royals played in their last season as members of the Prairie Conference and finished as co-champions with Swanville.

Central MN Conference boys' basketball scores on February 14:
Holdingford 86, Kimball Area 68
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 73, Eden Valley-Watkins 57
Paynesville Area 85, Royalton 76

Area girls' basketball scores on February 14:
Maple Lake 50, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 44
New London-Spicer 70, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 50
Minnewaska Area 61, West Centra Area 50
Pine River-Backus 59, Cass Lake-Bena 45