The Minneapolis Lions finished up their first appearance in the Adolph Rupp Tournament on Saturday afternoon against the Rose Hill Rockets in the fifth place game. Minneapolis was the 6-seed in the tournament, while Rose Hill was the 4-seed.

This was the fifth game in eight days for Minneapolis. Offensively, the Lions struggled to score in the first half. Rose Hill hit the first four points of the game. Freshman Trent Moeckel then hit a three with 5:30 left to go in the first quarter to put the Lions on the board and the score to within one, 4-3. But that was the only bucket Minneapolis would score in the period. The Rockets led 10-3 after one.

Minneapolis’ scoring picked up some in the second quarter behind five points from Junior Kaden McCullick and four from Moeckel, who received our Salina Ortho Player of the Game honor. Rose Hill, however, answered with seven points in the period from Junior Dalton Rapp, and the Rockets led 22-14 at the half.

Rapp continued to extend the Rockets lead to start the second half. The junior knocked in nine of his game-high 27 points in the third quarter, while Minneapolis’ shooting woes continued. The Lions were held to six points in the period and trailed, 35-20, going into the fourth.

Minneapolis lost 52-34 to take sixth place.

Lions were led by 10 points from Moeckel. McCullick added nine. Sophomore Jonah Ausherman and Freshman Spencer Davidson knocked in four each.

Along with Rapp’s 27 points, the Rockets received 12 points from Senior Dylan Sapp.

Rose Hill advances to 8-4 overall. Minneapolis moves to 5-8 on the season. The Lions will be back in action on Tuesday at home in a non-league matchup against the Ell-Saline Cardinals.

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