Boys basketball: Brainerd buries Cardinals 65-39
BRAINERD — The Brainerd Warriors are having a season to remember.
Tuesday night they rolled over Willmar 65-39 to inflate their record to 12-0 in the Central Lakes and 20-1 overall.
This game was never close: the Warriors led 28-12 at half.
These Warriors have clinched the CLC championship, the school’s second in boys basketball.
The other was in the ’92-93 season when they finished 13-1 led by Chris Heitkamp and Wade Haapajoki.
The next season Willmar ascended to the top of the pile with a 10-2 record; Brian Bock, Matt Gorans, Chad Newman and Matt Thompson were All-CLC.
This year’s Brainerd’s top 8 are all seniors. The lone loss was to Moorhead in OT, a debit they paid off on Tuesday peeling the Spuds 66-59.
Willmar shot 25 percent last night.
“We were cold inside and cold outside,” said coach Steve Grove. “It was one of those nights. Defensively, we had good position. They just made them.”
Especially, 6-2 forward Ian Haug who cranked in 5 three-pointers on the way to game-high 21 points.’
The Warriors shot 52 percent from the floor.
High-point scorer for Willmar was Austin Rambow with nine.
The Cards (6-7, 11-11) are next at Sartell on Tuesday.
Brainerd 69, Willmar 35
Willmar (6-7 11-11) 12 23 — 35
Brainerd (12-0 20-1) 28 37 — 69
WILLMAR – 14-57 FG (2-18 3-pt); 5-9 FT; 38 rebounds; 19 fouls … Scoring: : Joe Leuze 2, Jordan Geurtz 6, Austin Rambow 9, Dylan Schueler 3, Alex Grove 6, Adam Nibaur 2, Austin Grove 2, Joel Carter 2, Tyler Stegeman 3 … 3-point shots: Stegeman, Rambow … Rebound leaders: Rambow 10, Schueler 7, Leuze 7 … Assist leaders: Leuze 2
BRAINERD – 25-48 FG (8-24 3-pt); 11-15 FT; 36 rebounds; 10 fouls … Scoring: Tony Sauer 4, Jack Sauer 7, Ian Haug 21, Marcus Comstock 9, Chris Bowman 4, Jagar Hansen 3, Isiah Smith 2, Jake Blong 10, Geoff Sheflo 2, Tate Geraets 7 … 3-point shots: Haug 5, J. Sauer, Geraets, Blong
