Bucs drop third consecutive game
Maroon and Gold has their five-game winning streak snapped

BEA’s Will Bromeland looks to score while Fairmont’s Trevor Maakestad (21) comes up from behind. The Bucs rallied to tie the game at 58-58 in the second half but the Cards scored the last seven points of the game to win 65-58.
It has been a rough start to the new year for the Blue Earth Area Buccaneers boys basketball team. After ending 2024 on a five-game win streak, the team has started 2025 with three consecutive defeats.
Belle Plaine 91, BEA 57
The Tigers’ junior forward Ethan Martin made nine of his 10 shots from inside the arc plus one 3-pointer to help lead Belle Plaine to a 91-57 victory over the Blue Earth Area Bucs on Tuesday, Jan. 7, in Belle Plaine.
He wasn’t the only Tigers’ player with a hot hand. Overall, Belle Plaine made two-thirds of the shots they took from inside the arc making 30 of their 45 attempts. The Tigers scored 58 of their points in the paint.
Meanwhile, the Bucs were 10-for-29 (34.5 percent) from inside the arc.
BEA had a slight advantage from outside the arc where they were 11-for-32 (34.4 percent) compared to Belle Plaine who made seven of their 26 (26.9 percent) 3-point shots.
The Tigers built up a 29-point lead by the end of the first half and went into the intermission leading 52-38. Belle Plaine outscored BEA 39-34 in the second half.
The edge in rebounding went to the Tigers by a 44-33 margin. The Bucs committed 25 turnovers compared to 15 for their opponent.
Leading scorer for the Maroon and Gold was Will Bromeland with 23 points, including four 3-pointers.
Sully Dahlberg added 10 points while Branson Hauskins finished with eight.
Bromeland was the leading rebounder with 10 followed by Dahlberg with five.
The loss drops the Bucs’ record to 6-5 while the Tigers improved to 6-2.
BEA traveled to Pipestone to battle the Arrows on Jan. 10. They will be on the road at Jackson County Central on Jan. 16 and at Maple River Jan. 17.
They do not have another home game until Friday, Jan. 24, when they host Tri-City United.
LCWM 71, BEA 69
The host Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial Knights rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit to defeat the Blue Earth Area Buccaneers 71-69 in basketball action on Monday, Jan. 6.
The Bucs were leading 66-62 with just under five minutes to go when a controversial traveling call negated a BEA basket which would have increased the Maroon and Gold’s lead to six points.
Instead, BEA had a hard time finding the range for the rest of the game and a 3-pointer by LCWM with 3:22 left in the game cut the Bucs’ advantage to 66-65.
The Knights worked the ball inside for a basket to take a 67-66 lead at the 2:30 mark.
LCWM went up by four points when they got a steal under their own basket and put the ball in the hoop with 53 seconds left.
BEA missed two free throws on their end of the court and had to foul the Knights to get the ball back. Unfortunately, LCWM made both of their free throws to increase their advantage to 71-66 with 39.5 seconds left in the game.
Will Bromeland’s baseline jumper brought the Bucs within three points of the Knights at 71-68 with 24 seconds remaining in the game.
BEA got the ball back with 9.3 seconds left and Branson Hauskins was fouled with four seconds left. Hauskins sank the first free throw and missed the second one on purpose. The scramble for the rebound ended in a jump ball with the possession arrow favoring the Knights who held on for the 2-point victory.
Bromeland led all scorers with 26 points. Also reaching double figures for the Bucs was Hauskins with 12 and Gage Barger with 10. Jacob Grandgenett tallied nine points and led the team in rebounds with five.
Fairmont 65, BEA 58
It was a close battle of the I-90 rivals when the Fairmont Cardinals came to Blue Earth for a boys basketball game on Friday, Jan. 3. It was the Cardinals who came out on top and went home with a 65-58 victory.
BEA trailed most of the first half and found themselves behind by eight points at 58-50 with five and a half minutes remaining in the game.
A steal and layup by the Bucs’ Gage Barker ignited an 8-0 run that tied the game at 58-58 with 2:47 left to play.
However, Fairmont would end the game by going on a 7-0 run to go home with the 65-58 victory.
Both teams shot an identical 55.6 percent from inside the arc. BEA was 15-for-27 on 2-pointers while Fairmont was 20-for-36.
The Bucs were 9-for-38 (23.7 percent) from 3-point range while Fairmont was 7-for-17 (41.2 percent).
BEA made one of their two free-throw attempts. Fairmont shot seven free throws and made four.
The Bucs had the edge in rebounds by a 37-30 margin. Turnovers were fairly even with BEA committing 17 and Fairmont 15.
Will Bromeland led the Bucs with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Barker tallied 19 points and Branson Hauskins had eight.
Peter Fletcher had seven rebounds. Barker and Bromeland each had three steals and Barker finished with four assists.