Tenzin Dahl and Hunter Kloos helped lead the Minnewaska Area boys basketball team to its first win of the season, a 67-45 victory over Hope Academy during the semifinals of the Howard Lake-WW Holiday Tournament last Wednesday at HLWW High School.

Dahl had 23 points and nine rebounds, while Kloos added 12 points and 10 boards as the Lakers led 41-22 at halftime and cruised to the 22-point win.

One night later, the Lakers fell to Howard Lake-WW in the championship game, 57-50, but statistics were received too late to make the holiday deadline and will be highlighted next week.  HLWW beat East Central in the other semifinal game, 72-57.

The Lakers have a three-game week this week beginning with a game at Litchfield, Tuesday (tomorrow) and continuing with a game at West Central Area, Friday, Jan. 6, and a rare home game against Pipestone, Saturday, Jan. 7.

at HLWW Tourney

The Lakers went 16-for-22 from the line and had 20 team assists during a 67-45 victory over Hope Academy during the HLWW Holiday Tourney.

Three Lakers scored in double figures, led by Tenzin Dahl’s 23 points, nine rebounds and two steals.  Dahl, a sophomore, was 10-of-2 from the field and 2-of-3 from the line.

Alex Panitzke added 13 points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals for the Lakers, who improved to 1-6 overall for the season, while Hunter Kloos had 12 points, 10 boards, two assists and four steals.

Dahl had 17 points by halftime for the Lakers and Kloos had eight points in the second half.

The Lakers shot 33 percent from the field (23-for-69), including 5-of-16 from three-point range.  Minnewaska Area, which had 41 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive end, was also 16-of-22 from the charity stripe (72 percent).

Six Lakers hit the scoring column as Blake Andreas had eight points, three rebounds and two steals for Minnewaska Area, PJ Johnson had six points, five boards, three steals and a team-high five assists, Dylan Alexander had five points, four assists, seven rebounds and four steals, and Ryland Martin added three assists and three rebounds.

Hope Academy had seven players score at least one point, including two who led the team with 10 points each.

Other basketball notes

•  The Minnewaska Area boys basketball varsity team, coached by Hunter Salathe, Dan Dahl, Nick Danielson, Brian Walker,  Zach Traphagen and Gabe Eisenbacher, includes  seniors Blake Andreas, Paul Johnson, Jr., James Ward, Noah Palmer and Hunter Kloos; juniors Alex Panitzke, Ryland Martin and Dylan Alexander; and sophomore Tenzin Dahl.

Waska 67, New Life 45

Waska (1-6) 41 26 — 67

Hope Academy 22 23 — 45

WASKA stats: 23-69 FG (5-16 3pt); 16-22 FT; 20 assists; 41 rebounds; 17 seals; 10 fouls; 17 turnovers . . . Scoring:  Tenzin Dahl 23, Alex Panitzke 13, Hunter Kloos 12, Blake Andreas 8, PJ Johnson 6, Dylan Alexander 5 . . Rebounding:  Kloos 10, Dahl 9, Alexander 7, Johnson 6, Andreas 4, Ryland Martin 3, Panitzke 2 . . Assists:  Johnson 5, Alexander 4, Panitzke 3, Martin 3, Kloos 2 Steals:  Kloos 4, Alexander 4, Johnson 3, Andreas 2, Panitzke 2, Dahl 2

HOPE stats:  Scoring:  Sonaa Taera 10, Jordan Moss 10, Zakary Ruhland 9, Brian Moss 8. . . Other stats not available

Check out more photos in our photo gallery!