NRHEG Boys Basketball Rolls to Victory in Playoff Opener

With a storm raging and some in the district without power, fans found the lights on in the New Richland gym. The home team beat Blue Earth Area 64-30 Monday night.

The Panthers started scoring in their Section 2AA south subsection quarterfinal before the clock even started to run. A technical foul on the Buccaneers gave NRHEG a quick 2-0 lead from the free throw line. NRHEG jumped out to a 7-0 lead and never trailed. The Panthers led 34-14 at the half. Benji Lundberg led NRHEG with 16 points. Tyler Raimann had 13 and Chad Agrimson scored 12.

The Panthers (25-2) play Maple River (18-7) Thursday at Mankato East High School at 7:45PM on Kat Kountry 105FM. The Eagles beat Lake-Crystal-Wellcome-Memorial 66-57 last night. NRHEG has defeated Maple River three times this season, twice in Gopher Conference play and during the Bethany holiday tournament. The first victory was by five points. The next two were by 20 and 29 points.

Top-seed WEM doubled up Meford 72-36 Monday night and Fairmont beat St. James 62-51 in the other south subsection quarterfinals. The Buccaneers and Cardinals meet in the 6PM game Thursday at Mankato East.

In the north subsection of 2AA, top-seed Jordan beat Le Sueur-Henderson 71-46, Belle Plaine edged Norwood-Young America 70-69, Glencoe-Silver Lake beat St. Peter 71-64 and Tri-City United upset second-seed Sibley East 78-75 in overtime.

The NRHEG girls play Blue Earth Area in the Section 2AA south subsection championship game Tuesday at 6PM at Minnesota State University-Mankato on Kat Kountry 105FM.