Blossoms Win Tournament with Last-Second Shots

Thanks to a pair of last-second baskets, the Blooming Prairie girls completed a pair of come-from-behind wins to capture the Hayfield Holiday Tournament championship on Saturday, December 28. Julia Worke hit a three with two seconds left to lift BP to a 47-46 win over Kenyon-Wamamingo for the title. Allison Krohnberg drilled the game-winner Friday in a 40-38 victory over the Vikings.

Blooming Prairie trailed the Knights 29-20 at halftime on Saturday. Coach John Bruns said, "We were able to battle back in the second half by playing a little better defensively and knocking down some big shots of our own. Maren Forystek, Bobbie Bruns, and Maggies Bruns all made 3's in the last six minutes that brought us within striking distance."

Maggie Bruns put the Awesome Blossoms up by 44-42 with a minute to go. KW went ahead 45-44 on a three by Julianna Boyum. BP sent the Knights to the free throw line with eight seconds to go. Kenyon-Wanamingo made one of two for a 46-44 lead. "That set the stage for Julia Worke to hit her big three from the corner on a pass from Bobbie Bruns," said John Bruns of the 47-46 win.

"I was really proud of the girls' ability to just keep battling all game event when things were not going our way."

Megan Oswald scored 13 points to lead the Blossoms. Maggie Bruns scored 12 and grabbed ten rebounds. Worke ended with ten points. Bobbie Bruns scored nine and distributed six assists.

Friday's opening game against Hayfield also counted as Gopher Conference game. Sixth-rated Blooming Prairie led 27-19 at the half. Bruns said, "Hayfield came back little by little until they finally took a one-point lead with about three minutes to go on a Rachel Pack three-pointer."

Bruns summarizes, "After BP tied the game up 38-38 with two minutes to go, both teams traded possessions and defensive stops until Allison Krohnberg knocked in a tough contested layup with ten seconds to go. BP's defense held up and Julia Worke came away with the game-clinching steal with two seconds left."

Bobbie Bruns scored 16 in the 40-38 win over Hayfield. Krohnberg added ten. BP is now 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the Gopher Conference.