Jonathan Stanke goes in for a layup against Faribault Bethlehem B.A. in a game from earlier this season.

The United South Central boys basketball team got off to a slow start against the Triton Cobras on Friday, Dec. 15, and were never able to catch up.

The Rebels lost 57-40 to the Cobras.

USC fell behind 6-0 right away, and were 10 points down with three minutes left in the first half.

Brennan Anderson would then spark the Rebels with a big three in the corner and Jon Stanke completed a steal and a 3-point play to cut the lead down to 4.

It would stay that way at the half, with the Rebels trailing 21-17 at the buzzer.

Once again the Rebels started out sluggish in the second half and Triton went up 35-17 in the first four minutes.

“We clawed back into the game and cut it to nine after another Anderson three,” coach Adam Walker said. “But that would be as close as we would get with Triton hitting two huge threes to dagger us in the last five minutes.”

Eight different Rebels made the scoring column. Nathan Mutschler led the way with eight points.

Jon Stanke, Dylan Bonsack, Brennan Anderson and Blake Bullerman all had six points each.

Aiden Crabtree added four points and Zayden Schott and CJ Schumann each had two. Bullerman also led the way in rebounding with nine.

As a team the Rebels were 16 of 38 for 2-pointers (42 percent), 2 for 15 for 3-pointers (13 percent) and 2 for 7 from the charity stripe (29 percent).

Triton was 14 of 30 for 2-pointers (47 percent), 7 of 19 for 3-pointers (37 percent) and 8 of 14 for free-throws (57 percent).

The Rebels were outrebounded 35 to 25 by the Cobras, had 10 assists to their 13 and 15 turnovers to their 16.

USC was set to face MCW on Monday, Dec. 18, Blooming Prairie on Tuesday, Dec. 19 and NRHEG on Friday, Dec. 22.

USC Girls

The United South Central girls basketball team fought hard, especially in the first half, but in the end they fell, 70-32, to Triton, on Friday, Dec. 15.

“By far the best half we have played as a team in the first half, as it came to ball movement and spacing,” coach Taylor Ovrebo said. “But Triton lives and dies by the three pointer and our rotations and awareness were not where they needed to be in the first half.”

The coach says the Rebels rotated much better the second half only giving up 24 points. However, the Rebel offense fluttered as they only scored eight second half points.

Olivia Bungum led the way for the Rebels as she scored 16 points and had 10 rebounds.

Taylor Schroeder added 14 points and Maddie Dallman had two points in the game.

Nicollet 65, USC 57

The United South Central Rebels had a really good game on Thursday, Dec. 14, with two girls scoring more than 20 points each.

But in the end, it was not enough, as the Rebels fell to Nicollet by a score of 65-57.

“It was a closely contested game where we struggled to gather any momentum,” coach Taylor Ovrebo said. “We had 13 missed uncontested transition layups, which led to most of that.”

Olivia Bungum led the way for the Rebel girls with 27 points, 11 rebounds and six steals. Taylor Schroeder added 22 points.

Ivy O’Rourke added seven points, Maddie Dallman two points and Addie Mithun one point.