Knights defeat Cathedral 63-50

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM - Randy Braun's three point basket -- the first for Sleepy Eye St. Mary's after missing their first 10 shots from beyond the arch -- sparked a 10-0 run for the Knights as they cruised by New Ulm Cathedral 63-50 Friday night in Tomahawk Conference basketball.

Braun led the Knights (10-1; 12-3) with 14 points. Kyle Ludewig added 12 with both Matt Gangelhoff and Matt Mathiowetz each netting 11.

Tom Hazuka paced the Hounds with 14 points. Billy Schreiber ended with 12.

"We knew that we were going to have a battle tonight," said Knights' coach Peter Roufs. "I know that they are dealing with some adversity (two starters out with injuries) but they played hard. They stuck with us but Randy hit that big three point shot and we got more confident and we started to roll."

"We ran into a team that is very well coached and is very deep,"Cathedral coach Baily Blethen said. "The (three point shot) got them going and we could not stop their three-point shooters."'

Braun's trey - the first of three for the 5-foot 11 senior, erased a 30-29 Cathedral lead that came on a Dusty Wilfahrt basket - with 2:36 left in the third quarter ignited that 10-0 run and gave the Knights a 39-30 lead with just over a minute remaining.

Matt Mathiowetz rebound basket,a Kyle Ludewig jumper and a Nick Novotny 3-ball saw the Knights off and running.

"That seemed to get all of their players involved," Blethen said. "And we do not have the depth to keep up with a deep team like St. Mary's"

The Knights would hang onto that double-digit lead most of the game thanks in large part to an adjustment made by Roufs and the Knights at halftime.

"We were more patient on offense and we needed to go inside more with our offense,"said Roufs. "And we were more patient in that second half. We were happy with our defense holding them to 17 points."

Two Braun treys gave St. Mary's a 48-36 lead before Rob Brandl's basket jump-started a 9-0 run that saw Sleepy Eye holding a comfortable 59-38 lead on a Braun basket off the fourth -and 22nd turnover in the game - by Cathedral.

"We work on cutting down those turnovers in practice all the time," commented Blethen. "They shot the ball well and we could not keep up - we just wore out in that second half. It is a concern. I thought that we passed the ball better tonight then we have in some games but we still have to many."

St. Mary's took a 10-7 lead after one quarter before Tom Hazuka opened the second quarter with two baskets that lifted Cathedral to an 11-10 lead.

But that lead would be short-lived as Matt Mathiowetz' three-point play gave the Knights a 13-11 lead. That score would remain frozen for four minutes as both teams exchanged turnovers (St. Mary's eight and Cathedral seven) before Paul Fuchs hit a jumper with 2:30 left and Mathoiowetz turned a Hound turnover into two free throws and a 17-11 lead.

"We were just not patient - we shot only 33 per cent in the first half - but give credit to their defense," Roufs said. 'We got caught up in to quick of a speed. We will take it if it is there but we were out of control sometimes."

Cathedral won both the "C" and "B" game. Cathedral downed St. Mary's 59-35 in the "C" game. Joe Hazuka scored 19, Joey Lux 11 and Kyle Reinarts 10. The "C" team is 8-1. The Hounds won the "B" contest 49-42. Eric Schugel scored 15 for the "B" team now 5-9.