Boys basketball roundup: Cards fall short against Scarlets

WILLMAR - The Willmar Cardinals mounted a furious comeback after being outscored by 16 points in the first half, but came up just short losing 67-64 to Mankato West on Saturday in a non-conference game.
Noah Slagter scored a game-high 26 points and pulled down five rebounds for the Cardinals.
Willmar’s Max Doering added 14 points, Austin Grove 10 and Tate Hovland eight.
The game was close across the board: The Cardinals out-rebounded Mankato West 22-18, and shot 59.5 percent from the field to the Scarlets’ 60 percent. Mankato West turned the ball over 12 times to Willmar’s 13, and Willmar hit 11 free throws to the Scarlets’ 15.
Jake Dale led the Scarlets with 24 points, and Alex Goettl had 17.
Willmar, which has lost its last five games, will host Brainerd on Tuesday.
Mankato West 67, Willmar 64
MW (18-6).......................37 30 - 67
Willmar (3-21).................21 43 - 64
Mankato West
24-40 FG; 15-23 FT; 19 fouls … Scoring: Jake Dale 24, Alex Goettl 17, Matt Braun 9, Cole Hunstad 8, Steven Nessler 6, Hunter Frericks 2, Carter Burmeister 1 … 3-point shots: Dale 1, Braun 2, Nessler 1 … Rebound leader: Dale 6 … Assist leader: Burmeister 4 … Steal leader: Dale 3
Willmar
25-42 FG; 11-15 FT; 17 fouls … Scoring: Noah Slagter 26, Max Doering 14, Austin Grove 10, Tate Hovland 8, Dakota Tjaden 3, Dalton Rambow 2, Max Trochlil 1 … 3-point shots: Slagter 1, Hovland 1, Tjaden 1 … Rebound leader: Slagter 5 … Assist leader: Trochlil 3 … Steal leader: Slagter 3
Non-Conference
Morris/CA 81, Breckenridge 59
Eric Staebler put up 37 points and 11 rebounds in the Tigers’ blowout of Breckenridge on Saturday.
Noah Grove added 17 points, and Jacob Zosel had 15 points and nine assists.
MCA has won five of its last six games.
The Tigers (14-9) play today at home against Pelican Rapids.
MCA (14-9).......................40 41 - 81
Breckenridge (14-7)........22 37 - 59
Morris/Chokio-Alberta
31-48 FG; 15-20 FT; 14 fouls … Scoring: Noah Grove 17, Riley Biesterfeld 6, Jacob Zosel 15, Andrew Goulet 5, Nic Solvie 1, Eric Staebler 37 … 3-point shots: Grove 1, Zosel 1, Staebler 2 … Rebound leader: Staebler 11 … Assist leader: Zosel 9 … Steal leader: Biesterfeld 3
Breckenridge
24-54 FG; 6-7 FT; 18 fouls … Scoring: Nate Blaufuss 4, Tucker Krueger 12, Hunter Aigner 2, Carson Yaggie 2, Nick Jirak 2, Ashton Hegge 12, Stevin Lipp 2, Zarek Reiff 4, Erik Manning 2, Nate Lorenz 17 … 3-point shots: Krueger 1, Haggie 1 … Rebound leader: Lorenz 11 … Assist leader: n/a … Steal leader: n/a
Melrose 59, Osakis 20
Blake Gerads led the Dutchmen with 17 points, and Matt Meyer added 16 points.
Cesar Cervantes collected six points, six assists and three steals.
Osakis (5-18).....................12 8 - 20
Melrose (21-4).................42 17 - 59
Osakis
Statistics not available
Melrose
22-50 FG; 8-12 FT; 11 fouls … Scoring: Cervantes 6, Herkenhoff 3, Haider 10, Meyer 16, Luetmer 2, Wenker 1, Meyer 4, Gerads 17 … 3-point shots: Cervantes 1, Haider 2, Meyer 4 … Rebound leader: Luetmer 5 … Assist leader: Cervantes 6 … Steal leader: Cervantes 3