By Marlys Kruger
Sports Correspondent
ELK MOUND — In their only game of the week, the Mounder boys basketball team stayed home to face off against Middle Border Conference opponent Baldwin-Woodville on Thursday, January 14. The end result was not in the Mounders favor as they lost 58-35.
Ben Heath and Kaden Russo did their best to keep the score close in the first half by scoring 23 of the Mounders’ 26 points. But they didn’t have an answer for Cam Thompson who had 16 points for the Blackhawks helping them take a 35-26 halftime lead.
The home-court advantage was non-existent for the Mounders in the second half as they managed to score only ten points. Ryan Bohl hit a triple early on to get them to within ten points and Nate Lew drilled his own trey to keep them within 11 points, but B-W pounded the paint and continued to score at a steady pace. Bohl added a pair of short range shots but for the rest of the Mounders, it appeared their was a lid on the basket and all their shots missed the mark.
“This was a tough game for our kids,” coach Michael Kessler said. “We got out to a nice start early in the first half. But we were playing catch up for most of the game and were never able to get close.”
Russo finished with 12 points, Heath added 11 and Bohl ten for the team. The Mounders were just six of 20 from long range and six-of-10 from the foul stripe.
Elk Mound, returns to Dunn-St. Croix Conference play with a home game against Boyceville January 19 then travels to Colfax on Friday, January 22, and Durand next Monday, January 25.
