MVL routs McLeod West

BY JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM - The Minnesota Valley Lutheran Chargers remained unbeaten in the Tomahawk Conference at 9-0 and improved to 12-1 overall with a convincing 83-40 win over McLeod West Friday night in Tomahawk Conference boys basketball.

Jason Lohmiller led the Chargers with 16 points. Aaron Madson tossed in 14 and Jake Firle 10 as 13 Chargers scored in the game.

Lance Bussler paced McLeod West (1-7;4-8) with seven points.

MVL forced 15 second half turnovers that resulted in 21 points in the second half as the Chargers outscored the Falcons 47-20 in the second half.

" I thought that we came out slow (to start the game)," said Charger coach Craig Morgan. "But we were trying a few different things that got us out of our normal rhythm. We may have had to many days off without a game."

MVL would trail by 2-0 and 4-2 before Aaron Madson connected for the first of his two 3-balls in the game that sparked a 7-0 run and gave MVL an 11-4 lead and the Chargers never looked back. Ryan Hansch and Kameron Hanjani each put back rebound buckets prior to the Chargers Jason Lohmiller and Madson hit for baskets in an 8-2 run that saw MVL hold a 19-10 lead after the first quarter.

MVL would not score for the first two minutes of the second quarter as they turned the ball over five times and did not get off a shot in that span.

"I think that we were trying to hard; we were trying to do stuff that we normally don't do," Morgan said. "We were not executing on offense and I don't think that we saw the holes that their defense gave us. We did not adapt to that as I wanted them to. But (McLeod West) did a nice job of moving their defense around and hiding things on our kids."

That allowed the Falcons to peck away and cut the lead to 19-13 on Nick Pichotta basket and then used a hoop from Ryan Brugman to pull to within 20-15. They would never get any closer.

Madson and Jake Beilke baskets increased the lead to 24-15 and then Beilke turned a McLeod West miscue into a basket that ignited an 8-0 run as Jason Lohmiller hit for six straight points for a 32-17 MVL lead with 2:20 left in the first half.

Leading by 16 at halftime, MVL used Jake Firle, who was scoreless in the first half, to put the game out of reach. Firle's basket, off a turnover, one the first of three by the 6-foot 5 junior who used back-to-back rebound baskets for a 44-24 lead with 6:19 left in the third quarter.

"We talked (at halftime) that we could go in and work the middle more," commented Morgan. "Then, we could kick (the ball) out to our wings. Jake didn't have a good game against Cathedral and we have really been working hard on his defense and his rebounding.The guys found him underneath and he got the 8-10 foot jump shots."

What also played a big part in the second half was the defensive pressure applied by the Chargers.

"We wanted to pressure their point and perimeter people more than we had in the first half." said Morgan. "And we got some steals and turnovers and we able to run."

That ability to pressure saw that lead swell to 53-26 on a Madson trey and baskets by Lohmiller and Firle.

McLeod West scored the first two points of the final quarter before they would go scoreless until Brent Pichotta hit a free throw with 3:25 left in the game and MVL had a 73-37 lead.

In that fourth quarter, McLeod West hit only one of seven field goals and would can only 14of 46 (30 percent) from the field in the game.

Meanwhile, MVL was hot hitting 31 of 54 for 57 percent with 13 of those made shots coming off of pressure turnovers.

MVL also captured the "B" game 59-16. Dustin Lange led MVL with 14 points.