Paulson raining threes for LQPV

Some people prefer the wide open spaces and others prefer being in the middle of the forest.

Lac qui Parle Valley senior guard Adam Paulson is not different. The sharpshooter doesn't particularly care to drive, instead taking his chances from long range.

"It's hard inside there with all those trees," he said. "I've always like to jump shoot. I'll drive if I have to, but I really like shooting from the outside better."

Opponents might be better off just letting him drive to the hoop uncontested the way he's been snapping the cords from beyond the arc this season. Especially in the last three games when he's drained 22.

Montevideo was trying to clinch the West Central South Conference outright Tuesday night in Lac qui Parle Valley's gym. Holding a two-game lead on the Eagles with three conference games remaining, Montevideo was looking to improve to 10-0 and knock LQPV out of the running.

But Paulson and his teammated had other plans despite losing to the Thunder Hawks by 25 months just over a month earlier.

Paulson finished with a career-high nine 3-pointers (in 15 attempts) and a career-high 36 points as LQPV prevailed 71-65 before a packed house.

"I think the fans really helped a lot," said Paulson. "They really back us and they were screaming so loud. That really got my adrenaline going."

Paulson gave his teammates a lot for the credit for his scoring outburst.

"Most of my shots come off picks," he said. "They do a good job getting me open and getting me the ball."

Paulson sank eight treys against Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City Feb. 8 in Grove City, then tossed in five more two days later in Renville against Renville County West.

For the season, he is second in the area with 65. The leader is Mike Felt of Redwood Valley with 70, but Felt has played five more games than Paulson, who leads the area with an average of 4.3 three-pointers per game.

Paulson, who is sixth in the area in scoring average (19 points-per-game) doesn't have a particular shooting spot on the floor that he calls a favorite. And it doesn't seem to matter whether it's the Eagles' home court or not.

Pick a spot and he'll probably like it.

MACCRAY to host Hoops Challenge

MACCRAY will host the Camden Conference vs. West Central South Conference Boys Basketball Challenge Saturday in Clara City.

Four Camden Conference teams will be pitted against four West Central South Conference teams in a day-long affair.

"It's just for bragging rights and a championship t-shirt," laughed MACCRAY boys basketball coach Gary Nelson. "It should be a lot of fun and there should be some very good games."

Each of the first three games count as one point for the winning team's conference. The final game of the night will count as two points.

"We're hoping to make this an annual affair," Nelson said. "We've got six of the eight original Two Twelve Conference teams. We're going to rotate the sites from year to year."

Beginning at 1 p.m., Renville County West (Camden) will meet BOLD (West Central South). Dawson-Boyd (Camden) will face Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City (WCS) at 2:45 p.m.

Following those two games will be a three-point shooting contest with two players from each of the four teams that finished playing.

Then, at approximately 4:45 p.m., Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg (Camden) will square off against Yellow Medicine East (WCS).

Another three-point shooting contest featuring two players from KMS, YME, MACCRAY and Benson will then be held.

And the game worth two points will pit MACCRAY (Camden) against Benson (WCS) at 6:30 p.m.

The final of the three-point contest will be held at halftime of the final game.

CMCS to honor Mikelson, Bonnema

Tonight in Prinsburg, the Central Minnesota Christian boys basketball team will honor former players Adam Mikelson and Jon Bonnema, who were killed in an automobile accident last March.

A new scorer's table, funded by donations to a memorial fund set up in their honor, will be dedicated before the CMCS vs. Canby boys basketball game.

The parents of Mikelson and Bonnema will also receive their home blue jerseys.

The short ceremony will be held before the varsity game at approximately 6:30 p.m.

BOLD, YME, Monte in state danceline

BOLD, Yellow Medicine East and Montevideo will all be competing in the Class A State Dance Team competition Friday and Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Yellow Mellow Medicine will compete in both the High Kick and Jazz/Funk competitions. BOLD will compete in Jazz/Funk and Montevideo in High Kick.

Competition is scheduled to begin at noon.