The Minneapolis Lions capped off the regular season with a victory on the road versus the Russell Broncos Thursday night, 58-40.
Russell started five Seniors on Senior Night and jumped out to a 10-3 lead on the Lions behind six points from Kyle Farmer. The Lions, however, would close out the quarter on a 7-0 run, including a runner, plus a free throw, at the buzzer from Senior Trent Brubaker to tie the game at 10 after one.
The Broncos would recapture the lead in a low scoring second quarter and was up by one with less than a minute to go before the half, 17-16. Minneapolis Freshman Nolan White went on a 5-0 run for the Lions in the final 40 seconds to give them the four-point lead, 21-17, at intermission.
In the first matchup between these two teams, Minneapolis outscored Russell 26-7 in the third quarter on their way to a 60-41 victory. Tonight, the Lions had six players who scored in the third period and outpaced the Broncos, 23-11, in the quarter. Minneapolis led 44-28 going into the fourth.
Russell’s Junior Austin Price tried to get them back into the game in the fourth quarter. Price knocked in seven of his game-high 19 points in the fourth quarter, but the Broncos were never able to bring Minneapolis’ lead back down to single digits.
Minneapolis was led by Senior TreVaughn Thomas, who dropped 13 points for the Lions. Brubaker, also, reached double-figures with 11. Four players, Junior Kaden McCullick, Sophomore Jonah Ausherman and Freshmen Spencer Davidson and White, scored eight points each for the Lions.
The Lions end the regular season slate with a 9-11 record overall and a 7-5 record in league play. They face Southeast of Saline at 7 pm on Monday night in Gypsum in the first round of Sub-State.
Russell Pulled Away From Lady Lions In Second Half
The Minneapolis girls opened up the game on a 7-0 run in the first 6:30 minutes of the game, but ultimately fell on the road to Russell tonight, 59-39.
Minneapolis held the Broncos (17-3, 10-2) scoreless for most of the opening quarter. Russell Senior Samantha Leiker eventually got them on the board at the 1:33 mark. The Lions would lead the Broncos, 11-6, after one.
Russell Junior Tiffany Dortland sparked the Broncos offense in the second quarter. Dortland ended up with six of her game-high 21 points in the period and had tied the game at 14. Minneapolis would get a free throw from Freshman Courtney Forte with 13 seconds left before the break to give the Lions the one-point advantage, 15-14.
The Broncos three-headed attack, Dortland, Leiker and Senior Jaclyn Schulte, found a rhythm in the third quarter. Leiker knocked in seven points in the period, while Schulte had six and Dortland knocked in five. Minneapolis had five players who scored in the period, but were outscored 18-10 to trail by seven heading into the fourth, 32-25.
Minneapolis would cut the lead down to six with 6:30 left to go in the game, 35-29, but Russell closed the game out on a 24-10 run.
Senior Faythe Korinek led the Lions in scoring with 14 points. Sophomore Kersti Nelson dropped eight. Senior Courtney Walker knocked in five points, while collecting seven rebounds. Junior Ashley Rietbrock had five points off the bench.
Minneapolis finished the regular season with a 6-14 record and 2-10 in league play. They are the 7-seed in the Sub-State tournament and will face the Beloit Trojans in the first round on the road Tuesday night at 7 pm.
