It was tournament week, part two for Minneapolis basketball on Tuesday night.
This time it was the girls’ team who took the floor at the 53rd Annual Eli J. Walter Girls Basketball Tournament at Berean Academy. The Lady Lions fell in the opening game to Class 4A school, Wichita-Trinity Academy, 59-41.
After scoring just one point for nearly the whole quarter, Minneapolis was sparked by Freshman, Alayna Cossaart and a 35-foot three point shot to end the quarter. MHS trailed, 15-4 after one.
However, that shot sparked the Lady Lions as Kersti Nelson made back-to-back threes to start the second quarter, pulling Minneapolis to down 15-10.
It would be the closest Minneapolis got, however, as Austin Broadie paced Trinity Academy with 21 points in the first half as she hit shots from inside and out.
Still, Minneapolis played evenly for the most part with the Knights in the quarter, scoring 16 points. Minneapolis trailed 34-20 at halftime.
Trinity stretched the leads to 49-33 in the third quarter.
Minneapolis continued to hang around, though. Trinity never got the lead over 20 in the final quarter as Nelson made six threes on the game for the Lady Lions including her last with a few minutes to play.
The Trinity offense was too much, however. The Knights had four players score in double-figures that allowed them to have an opening tournament win.
Trinity Academy (7-4) was led by Broadie with 25 points. Aubrey Winter scored 13 points, Megan Hedstrom had 11 and Lauren Mathews added in 10 in a winning effort.
Minneapolis (3-8) has now lost five of its last six games. The Lady Lions also opened tournament play at 0-1 as well. Nelson scored 18 points, all on three-point makes.
Up next in the Walter Tournament, Minneapolis plays host school, Berean Academy on Thursday at 6 p.m. Coverage begins at 5:45 p.m. on Salina radio station, 92.7 The New Zoo.
MINNEAPOLIS BOYS 86, Ell-Saline 34
The Minneapolis boys blew away Ell-Saline for a second time this year with a blowout win at Brookville on Tuesday night.
Minneapolis trailed 5-4 at one point in the first few minutes of the game, but never trailed again as the Lions built a 30-9 after one and a 64-20 lead at halftime.
A second half running clock kept the score down a bit for Minneapolis, however, the Lions had more than enough points to cruise for an easy win.
Ell-Saline (0-12) was led by Underwood with 14 points in the loss.
Minneapolis (9-4) bounced back on Tuesday with the win after going 1-2 in the Rupp Tournament last week. John Nelson scored a career-best 16 points on Tuesday on 8-11 shooting from the field. Nolan White also scored 16 to lead the way and Jonah Ausherman tallied in 12 points.
Minneapolis boys are next in action on Monday as the travel to rival, Beloit. Live coverage can be heard on 92.7 The New Zoo immediately following the girls’ game.
