The Minnewaska Area boys basketball team is down to its final three regular-season games after going 0-2 last week.  The Lakers lost at Eden Valley-Watkins last Monday night, 54-41, and also lost at home to West Central Area, Friday, 80-46.

The Lakers fell to 1-22 overall and 0-13 in the conference after its latest two losses. The Lakers were also set to host Breckenridge last Tuesday night, but that game was postponed to Thursday, Feb. 23 due to weather.  Breckenridge is 3-18 and could be the Lakers’ best chance at picking up another win this season.

Other remaining regular-season games include a game at home against Melrose Area, Tuesday (tomorrow) and a game at home versus Osakis to close out the regular-season, Tuesday, Feb. 28.

Minnewaska is pretty-much assured of the eighth seed in its half of Section 3AA and will play at the No. 1 seed, Saturday, March 4 to open up the playoffs.  The top seed will be Paynesville, EVW or Morris Area-CA.  

EVW 54, Minnewaska 41

The Lakers played one of their best games of the season during a 54-41 loss at Eden Valley-Watkins last Monday night.  Minnewaska Area, which fell to 1-21 overall, trailed just 21-12 after a low-scoring first half.

EVW, which improved to 16-5 overall for the season, outscored the Lakers 33-29 in the second half to earn the 54-41 victory.

The Lakers shot 34 percent from the field (14-for-41), but were 7-of-19 from 3-point range and 6-of-6 from the line.

Hunter Kloos led the Lakers with 14 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots, while Tenzin Dahl had eight points and six boards and Alex Panitzke added eight points and two boards.  Kloos was 4-of-6 from three-point range.

The 54 points scored by EVW was a season-low for any opponent.  However, the 41 points scored was the 10th time the Lakers have been held under 50 points.

Marc Gruber chipped in with five points, while PJ Johnson had four points, six assists and three boards, and Dylan Alexander had two points, three assists and three rebounds.

EVW had three players score in double figures, including Noah Stommes, who had a game-high 15 points.

WCA 80, Minnewaska 46

The Lakers lost their 16th-straight game with an 80-46 home loss to West Central Area, Friday night.  WCA led 45-20 by halftime before settling for the 34-point win.

It was a strange statistical night for the Lakers, who were 15-of-47 from the field (31 percent), but only 3-of-16 on two-point field goal tries.

In fact, Minnewaska Area scored 36 of its 46 points from the 3-point line, going 12-of-31 from long range, including 6-of-14 from Hunter Kloos, who led the Lakers with 21 points.

Minnewaska Area, which made only one two-pointer in the first half, also got six points and three rebounds from Tenzin Dahl, six points on two 3-pointers from Connor Frey, and three points each from Luke Danielson and Marc Gruber, who also recorded three steals.

In addition, James Ward, Dylan Alexander and Noah Palmer each had two points, Zachary Palmer had one point, PJ Johnson had five assists and four rebounds, and Alexander also dished out four assists.

at EVW 54, Minnewaska 41

Minnewaska (1-21) 12 29 — 41

EVW 21 33 — 54

WASKA stats:  14-41 FG (7-19 3pt); 6-6 FT; 13 assists; 23 rebounds; 5 steals; 13 fouls; 15 turnovers . . . Scoring:   Hunter Kloos 14, Tenzin Dahl 8, Alex Panitzke 8, Marc Gruber 5, PJ Johnson 4, Dylan Alexander 2 . . . Rebounding:  Kloos 7, Dahl 6, Alexander 3, Johnson 3, Panitzke 2 . . . Assists:  Johnson 6, Alexander 3 . . . Steals: five with one each . . . Blocks:  Kloos 3

EVW stats:   Scoring:   Noah Stommes 15, Myles Dziengel 12, Wyatt Moehrle 10 . . . Other stats not available

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WCA 80, at Minnewaska 46

WCA 45 35 — 80

Minnewaska 20 26 — 46

WASKA stats:  15-47 FG (12-31 3pt); 4-7 FT; 13 assists; 10 rebounds; 8 steals; 13 fouls; 14 turnovers . . . Scoring:   Hunter Kloos 21, Tenzin Dahl 6, Connor Frey 6, Luke Danielson 3, Marc Gruber 3, James Ward 2, Dylan Alexander 2, Noah Palmer 2, Zachary Palmer 1 . . . Rebounding:  PJ Johnson 4, Dahl 3 . . Assists:  Johnson 5, Alexander 4, Z. Palmer 2 . . . Steals:  Gruber 3

WCA stats:   Scoring:   Dewey 17, Strunk 15, Cole Anderson 11, Cam Anderson 11, Kjesho 10 . . . Other stats not available

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