The Blue Earth Area Buccaneer boys basketball team could not get their offense in gear and lost the championship game of their own Holiday Tournament to Jackson County Central, 68-35, on Friday night, Dec. 28.

The Bucs scored the first two points of the game to lead 2-0, then led again at 3-2, but that was the last time they could go ahead of the high-powered Huskies.

Two baskets in a row by BEA’s Brandyn Olsen brought the Bucs to within one at 11-10, before the Huskies opened up a 31-16 half time lead.

JCC went on an 11-2 run to open the second half and went up 42-18. They continued to increase the lead until they were ahead 63-29.

JCC outscored BEA 37-19 in the second half. The final ended up 68-35.

Olsen ended up high scorer for the Bucs with 11 points. He also grabbed five rebounds.

Steven Plocker added seven points and four rebounds. Luke Monson had four points and five rebounds.

Derek Johnson had four points and Calvin Sanders three the Bucs’ only three-pointer out of 11 tries in the game.

Quinn Huisman and Brad More tallied two points each.

As a team, the Bucs shot 16 of 46 from the floor for 35 percent and 2 of 5 from the free-throw line. The Huskies were 30 of 51 for 59 percent from the floor and 6 of 10 from the charity stripe.

The Bucs out-rebounded the Huskies 30-18. Both teams had 11 fouls and four steals each.

The Buccaneers, now 2-2 for the season and 0-1 in the South Central Conference, host St. James on Friday night this week.

USC 55, GHEC 42

The Rebels of United South Central took third place in the BEA Holiday Tournament by downing the Granada-Huntley-East Chain Mustangs 55-41 in the first game on Friday night.

The Rebels only led by one, 24-23, at the end of the first half, but outscored the Mustangs 31-18 in the second half to seal the win.

Walker Linde led the Rebels with 13 points, while teammates Cole Stencel and Nate Pederson each added 10.

Steve Voigt had nine points for USC while Cody Nelson scored eight.

As a team, the Rebels were 22 of 50 from the floor and 8 of 13 from the free-throw line.

Ryan Shumski led the Mustangs with 12 points. Trent Stensland added nine points.

As a team, the Mustangs shot 20 of 61 from the floor and 1 of 8 from the charity stripe.