Monday night, Minneapolis got to the semi-finals of Adolph Rupp Tournament in Halstead for the first time with a win.

Friday night, Minneapolis found out the hard way that in order to make it to the finals of the tournament, they would have to do a better job of taking care of the ball as Cheney outclassed Minneapolis with a 65-26 win.

The fourth-ranked team in 3A took no time in taking control, as the Cardinals used a 13-0 run right away to put the Lions down 16-2. Cheney, behind the 11 points of a Harrison Middleton in the period, then plowed past Minneapolis in the quarter to lead 29-9 at the end of the period.

Cheney would not slow down in the second quarter as the Cardinals used Harrison Voth’s 3-point shooting to lead 42-16 at the break.

Minneapolis had no answers in the last half either, as they turned it over 24 times on Friday night and had no flow offensively.

Cheney (9-1) heads to the Rupp Tournament finals on Saturday. Middleton led Cheney with 22 points, while Voth and Luke Grace both tallied in 15 points, each.

Minneapolis (8-2) had no scorers in double-figures. Nolan White led the team with seven points.

Daniel Watson for Minneapolis was the “Nex-Tech Wireless” Player of the Game, while Trent Moeckel won the H&R “Block of the Game.”

The Lions next head to the tournament third place game against the No. 5 seed, Rose Hill, who lost on Friday to Haven, 55-42. Minneapolis and the Rockets tangle Saturday at 5:30 p.m. on 92.7 The New Zoo.

Image Credit: Kandy Constable