For about nine minutes of the first half the Faribault Bethlehem Academy boys basketball team led state ranked Mankato Loyola.  Eventually the Crusaders cruised to a 84-46 win in the basement gym at Loyola.

Bethlehem Academy started the game playing man to man defense and got the ball inside to "Mr. glassman" Justin Simones.  The 6'3 senior knows how to use the backboard and always follows his shot.

Tied at 27 the Crusaders went on a 10-2 run to close the half and outscored BA 11-3 to start the second half.

After junior, 6'6 Charles King and 6'1 junior Zach Donkers got their second fouls in the first half the Cardinals displayed a 1-3-1 zone that Loyola exploited along the baseline.

Meanwhile the #17 Class 1A Minnesota Basketball News rated Mankato Loyola flipped the game with 32 second half points while holding Bethlehem Academy to 12 points in the paint.

The Cardinals scored 24 points in the paint in the first half, 14 of them came from Simones.  They trailed 37-29 at the half.

The Crusaders paid a lot more attention to Simones in the second half but he still managed 8 paint points to finish the game with 22.  All of them in the lane.

Senior 6'2 Bradlee Sartor had 11 first half points and finished with 15 points.  King ended the game with 4 points.  Off the bench senior 6'1 Matthew Croke tallied 5 points.

Donkers left the game with what appeared to me was a elbow injury after landing against the stage behind a basket he stood up holding what appeared to me was his elbow in place.  The trainer came over, escorted him off the court and a short time later he was no longer holding the arm.

I was told following the game he has had some shoulder problems and that was more than likely the issue.  Whichever it was he did not return to the basketball court.

Mankato Loyola had 4 guys finish the game in double figures.  They were led by junior 6'2 Lawson Godfrey's 26 points.  Junior 6'2 Carter Zimmerman added 16 points off the bench.  Senior 6'1 Kolton Kunz tallied 15 points, Senior Jake Sizer scored all 10 of his points in the paint in the second half.

Our Malecha's Auto Body Faribault Crunch Time Players of the Game were leading scorers Simones and Sartor.

The Cashwise Foods and Pharmacy of Owatonna Deliveries of the Game were awarded to two Cardinals coming off the bench.  5'10 junior Trey Guyon delivered a perfect bounce pass to Simones for a layup and Croke scored a contorted underhand scoop shot off the backboard that looked like something you would do when playing Horse.

The Cardinals were 2 of 4 from the free throw line while the Crusaders went 10 for 13 in the very physical contest.

BA is now 2-4.  Mankato Loyola improved to a 6-2 record.

Here are other boys and girls basketball scores reported from Tuesday night in the area.  Also boys and girls hockey.  Boys basketball:

  • Mankato East 63  Faribault 28
  • Northfield 81  Rochester Century 72 (2 OT's)
  • Red Wing 62 Rochester Mayo 47
  • Owatonna 74  Winona 61
  • Austin 83  Albert Lea 50
  • Lakeville North 58  Eastview 56 (OT)
  • Orono vs New Prague postponed
  • Rushford-Peterson 54  Wabasha-Kellogg 18
  • Glencoe-Silver Lake 84  Belle Plaine 50
  • Kasson-Mantorville 67  Chatfield 47
  • Hayfield 70 Grand Meadow 42
  • St. Clair 66 NRHEG 33
  • Southland 59  Lanesboro 46
  • Spring Grove 67 Mabel-Canton 32
  • Kingsland 53 Schaeffer Academy 32
  • Jordan 59 St. Peter 52
  • Shakopee 76  Prior Lake 57
  • Lakeville South 60 Rosemount 55
  • Farmington 86  Apple Valley 44
  • Caledonia 92  Dover-Eyota 68

Girls Basketball

  • Mankato East 70  Faribault 40
  • Rochester Century 61  Northfield 54
  • Rosemount 58  Lakeville South 40
  • Eagan 63  Burnsville 34
  • Byron 56  Jordan 49
  • Belle Plaine 64 Norwood-Young America 59
  • Lakeville North 57  Eastview 36
  • Lewiston-Altura 60  Fillmore Central 42
  • Mankato West 49 Rochester John Marshall 46
  • Orono 77  New Prague 54
  • Shakopee 68 Prior Lake 43
  • Winona Cotter 61  Plainview-Elgin-Millville 50

Boys Hockey Scores

  • Rochester Lourdes 3  Faribault 0
  • Burnsville 7  Prior Lake 4
  • Lakeville South 5  Owatonna 0
  • Eastview 5  Shakopee 4
  • Mankato East/Loyola 6  Hutchinson 4
  • Gentry Academy 5  Owatonna 0
  • Orono 7  Mankato West 0
  • Lacrescent 8  Minnesota River 4
  • Northfield 3  Rochester Mayo 3 (OT)

Girls Hockey Scores

  • Burnsville 7  Prior Lake 4
  • Mankato East 5  New Prague 2
  • Lakeville North 3  Dodge County 2 (OT)
  • Lakeville South 5  Owatonna 0

Check these out and let the tummy growl.

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