Bulldog boys bank basketball wins in Clayton Holiday Tournament

CLAYTON – The Boyceville boys basketball team received quality contributions from several players that helped the Bulldogs extend their hardwood win streak to three games with a pair of wins over Lakeland schools at the Clayton Holiday Tournament December 27 and 28.

The Bulldogs earned a dramatic 51-49 win over once-beaten Turtle Lake on Mitch Leach’s buzzer-beating basket Thursday, December 27 and then followed it up the next afternoon  (Friday, December 28) with a 54-31 demolition of  the Clear Lake Warriors.

The victories will send Boyceville into the new year with an even mark of 5-5. The Bulldogs are off until Friday, January 4 when they resume conference action at rival Glenwood City.

Bulldogs Prevail in Nailbiter

Michael Lagerstrom tossed in 15 points to lead the Bulldogs and Jordan Kuhn tallied ten, but it was Mitch Leach’s third and final two-pointer that proved to be the difference against Turtle Lake Thursday, Dec. 27 in the Clayton Holiday Basketball tournament.

With eight seconds left in the game and the Turtle Lake defense encircling him, Michael Lagerstrom got his hands on the ball passed it off to Leach, who then made the shot right as the buzzer rang for the exciting victory.

“We came up here and played a strong Turtle Lake team. They were 7-1 coming into the game,” noted Boyceville head coach Jay Lagerstrom. “We knew it would be a good game. We played well on both ends of the court and got a nice win at the end of the game.”

“We set up a play and the boys ran it to perfection,” said Coach Lagerstrom. “Mitch Leach put a basket in at the buzzer. It was a nice win for our boys.”

The teams exchanged leads throughout the game. The Lakers went ahead in the first quarter 19-13 but the Bulldogs bounded in the second quarter and put up 21 points to take a 34-30 halftime lead.

The Bulldogs struggled after the intermission as Michael Lagerstrom and Brady Schutts accounted for Boyceville’s only two baskets of the third quarter as Boyceville fell behind 40-38.

The Bulldogs regrouped in the final stanza as Mitch Leach scored all three of his baskets in the final eight minutes including the game winner while Kuhn added his second three pointer of the game to help Boyceville out point Turtle Lake 13 to 9 for the two-point victory.

Lagerstrom’s 15 points, which included a pair of triples and five of six at the foul line, lead the Bulldogs scoring tally.

Jordan Kuhn finished ten points and a pair of treys as well. Brady Schutts chipped in for eight points, while Ryan Williams and Mitch Leach each added six points and Zach Klassen and Justin Schulz had three points apiece.

John Lehti lead the Lakers with 17 points. Kyle Steffen and Tanner Arnold added 13 and 12 points, respectively.

The Bulldogs had another solid night at the foul line as they were successful with nine out of ten free throws. As a team they only allowed the Laker’s three foul shots of which two of those were made.

Boyceville clocks Clear Lake

It was not the prettiest of victories but Boyceville’s win over Clear Lake on the second day of the Clayton Tournament was convincing nonetheless.

Even though its floor leader Michael Lagerstrom struggled in the contest and finished with only two points, Boyceville had a number of other players step to the forefront and deliver solid performances.

Sophomore Brady Schutts continued to surge as he lead the Bulldogs and all scorers with 15 points while Jordan Kuhn had 11, including three triples, in a 54-31 Boyceville blowout. In total, Boyceville received scoring contribution from nine of its ten varsity players in the impressive win.

“Micheal has kind of been carrying us this season but  probably had his most ‘off’ game of the year,” said his father and coach Jay Lagerstrom following the win over Clear Lake. “But other guys stepped it up and that is what we need.”

“Brady (Schutts) had an excellent game and shot the ball well,” stated the coach. “In a lot of our games this year, teams have been trying to take away Michael and Jordan (Kuhn). We are starting to get Mitch (Leach) and Brady more involved and things are opening up for us.”

Things really opened up for the Bulldogs in a big way after they trailed the Warriors early in the first quarter.

Boyceville would quickly erase that deficit with the long ball. Jordan Kuhn hit a three followed by two more treys courtesy of Brady Schutts to give Boyceville a 15-7 edge after one period of play.

Schutts, who finished with five three-pointers, canned two more triples in the second quarter to send the Bulldogs into intermission with a 27-15 lead.

Kuhn then took his trey tally to three with a pair of threes and a basket in the third period as the Bulldogs outscored the Warriors 14 to 8 to build a comfortable 41-23 advantage.

Schutts nailed his final three in the fourth. Justin Schulz also hit a triple as Boyceville outscored Clear Lake for a fourth straight period, 13 to 8, to take an easy 54-31 victory despite some shaky play at times.

“We played sloppy against Clear Lake,” stated Coach Jay Lagerstrom. “Maybe it was the second day coming off an exciting game, but whatever it was, I was glad for the win.”

“We haven’t had many wins this year where have been able to cruise a little bit in the fourth quarter.”

Besides Schutts’ 15 and Kuhn’s 11 points, Mitch Leach added eight, Ryan Williams six and Zach Klassen five to the Bulldogs’ scorebook.