Guard Kate Harmon helped lead the Bucs to a 52-44 victory over the GHEC/T/ML Jaguars in the opening round of the Blue Earth Area Holiday Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 29.

The Blue Earth Area girls’ basketball team withstood an early second-half rally by the Granada-Huntley-East Chain/ Truman/ Martin Luther Jaguars to leave their home court with a 52-44 victory in the opening round the Blue Earth Area Holiday Tournament.

The Bucs faced the Sibley East Wolverines in the championship game on Friday, Dec. 30. The results of that contest will be in next week’s edition of The Faribault County Register.

BEA led through most of the first half against GHEC/T/ML. The Jaguars’ only lead came midway through the opening half when back-to-back baskets by Olivia Mattson put the visitors on top 10-7.

Lola Lundquist hit a pull-up jumper and then connected on a runner to give the Bucs an 11-10 edge.

Mattson tied the game with a free throw but BEA’s Erika Gaydon ignited a seven-point run to give the home team an 18-11 lead with just under six minutes to play in the first half.

The Jaguars, who came into the game with only one loss in four games, cut the Bucs’ lead to 20-18 with 2:46 before intermission before Lundquist closed out the first-half scoring with a three-pointer to give the Maroon and Gold a 23-18 lead at the half.

Mattson’s basket from behind the arc followed by Bethany Petrowiak’s two-pointer for GHEC/T/ML forged a 23-23 tie and led BEA’s coach Chris Voss to call a time out to talk things over with his team.

It must have been a good talk.

The Bucs came out of the time out and scored the next 12 points to take a 35-23 lead.

BEA post player Sophie Keister did most of the damage. She made a free throw and then scored on an inbounds play. Next, guard Kate Armon found Keister open under the basket for another bucket and BEA’s lead was 28-23.

Keister wasn’t done. She was fouled while making her shot and sank the free throw for a conventional three-point play to make it 31-23 in favor of the Bucs.

A drive to the basket and resulting layup by Armon followed by Keister scoring on another inbounds play had BEA up 35-23 with just under 13 minutes to play.

“We came out of that timeout and regrouped, kept our composure and executed our plays,” Voss said. “And, we got Sophie involved.”

The Bucs’ biggest lead of the game would come with less than four minutes to play when Gaydon hit her third three-pointer of the night to extend BEA’s advantage to 47-32.

The Jaguars scored five points in the last 14 seconds to make the score a little closer but the Bucs still moved onto the championship game of the tournament with a 52-44 triumph.

“The girls trusted each other and shared the ball well tonight,” Voss commented. “We continued to maintain our composure in the closing minutes.”

It was quite a game for Keister. In addition to leading BEA with 20 points, she also had 14 rebounds, four blocked shots and three assists. Also hitting double figures for the Bucs was Armon with 10 points. The junior guard also had eight rebounds.

Gaydon finished with nine points, Lundquist tallied eight points and five assists and Chloe Groe added five points.

Mattson finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Jaguars while McKenna Benck added 14 points.

The victory improved the Bucs’ overall record to 2-4 while the Jags’ record now stands at 3-2.

Windom 71, BEA 21

The Blue Earth Area girls’ basketball team went on the road Dec. 20, to take on the Windom Eagles in a Big South Conference clash.

Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, it was the Eagles who came out on top with a 71-21 triumph.

The Eagles’ defense made it difficult for the Bucs to score. The Maroon and Gold only attempted 13 2-point field goals and made four.

BEA did manage to take 22 shots from behind the arc but were only able to sink three of their trys.

The Bucs made all four of their free-throw attempts.

Meanwhile, the Eagles made 23 of their 38 attempts from inside the arc and seven of 23 shots taken outside the arc.

Windom was 4 for 9 from the charity stripe.

The home team had 36 rebounds to 23 for the Bucs.

Lola Lundquist led BEA in scoring with seven points followed by Ashlyn Klinkner with five.

Sophie Keister and Kate Armon each pulled down five rebounds and Armon had three assists.