The Minnewaska Area boys basketball team had two games scheduled last week, but the Lakers were only able to get in one game due to weather.

The Lakers were set to host NLS last Tuesday, but that game was pushed back to Friday and Minnewaska lost a close game with the Wildcats, 65-54.

Minnewaska Area trailed early 8-0 and 13-6, but cut the deficit to 23-21 late in the first half and went into halftime trailing only 30-27.  

The Lakers were still within range midway through the second half, trailing 51-42  with about eight minutes left, but NLS increased its lead to 61-46 a few minutes later and the Lakers never got within single digits the rest of the way.

Minnewaska Area was also set to host Morris Area-CA, Thursday, but that game was also postponed to Monday, Dec. 19 (today).  The Lakers are also set to play at Paynesville Area, Tuesday (tomorrow) and at state-ranked Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa, Thursday.

The Lakers, who dropped to 0-4 overall with the loss to NLS, are scheduled to close out the 2022 portion of their schedule at the Howard Lake-WW Holiday Tourney, Dec. 28-29.

NLS 65, Minnewaska 54

NLS had four players score in double figures on the way to a 65-54 non-conference win at Minnewaska Area, Friday night.

The Lakers countered with three players of their own scoring in double figures, but NLS’ height advantage eventually got the best of Minnewaska Area.

Trailing early 8-0, but Lakers finally got their first basket at the 14:02 mark of the first half on a three-pointer by Dylan Alexander, who had 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds for the Lakers.

NLS got its lead back up to 18-10 before baskets by Hunter Kloos and Alexander brought the Lakers to within 18-14.

A few minutes later, PJ Johnson hit a pair of free-throws and Tenzin Dahl connected on a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 23-21.  The first half ended with a basket by Alexander at the buzzer to keep the Lakers close at 30-27 going into halftime.

The Wildcats got their lead into double digits to begin the second half, but Minnewaska Area eventually whittled it down to a 51-42 deficit with about eight minutes left on a basket by Alex Panitzke.

That would be as close as the Lakers would get the rest of the way as NLS got its lead back up to 61-46 with 4:47 left in the game and 63-49 with 2:14 remaining.

Johnson had 15 points to lead the Lakers along with four boards, while Hunter Kloos added 11 points, six rebounds and three assists, Tenzin Dahl had nine points, six boards and two steals, Blake Andreas had four points, three rebounds and two assists, and Panitzke added two points, two boards and three assists.

The Lakers shot 35 percent from the field (19-for-54), including 9-of-29 from long range.  Minnewaska was also just 7-of-16 from the free-throw line with several of the misses coming on the front end of one-and-ones.

NLS 65, at Minnewaska 54

NLS 30 35 — 65

Waska (0-4) 27 27 — 54

WASKA stats: 19-54 FG (9-29 3pt); 7-16 FT; 11 assists; 28 rebounds; 5 steals; 17 fouls; 18 turnovers . . . Scoring:   PJ Johnson 15, Dylan Alexander 13, Hunter Kloos 11, Tenzin Dahl 9, Blake Andreas 4, Alex Panitzke 2 . . . Rebounding:  Alexander 7, Kloos 6, Dahl 6, Johnson 4, Andreas 3, Panitzke 2 . . . Assists:  Panitzke 3, Kloos 3, Andreas 2 . . . Steals:  Dahl 2

NLS:  Scor:   Grant Paffrath 17, Brycen Christensen 16, Aedan Andresen 12, Mason Delzer 10 . . . Other stats not available

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