Boys hoops fall twice in Missota play
New Prague High School's boys basketball team dropped a pair of games last week, losing on a late shot to Shakopee and squandering an early lead to Hutchinson.
Earlier in the week, New Prague came from behind to defeat Northfield.
The Trojans (14-8, 6-4 Missota) were scheduled to play at Red Wing Tuesday. They have three regular season games remaining, all at home. They play Farmington Friday, Feb. 26, and Holy Angels Tuesday, Mar. 2, before concluding their season against Shakopee Friday, Mar. 5.
Trojans 56, Raiders 46
A slow start by New Prague gave Northfield a 13-point lead, but the Trojans battled back and a jump shot by Joe Hatch gave the Trojans a 22-21 halftime lead.
A three-pointer by Nick Gerdes gave the Trojans the lead for good midway through the second half.
Dan Geiger led the Trojans with 19 points, while Jed Kreuser had 10. Alex Dittberner had 9 while Cale Girten and Nick Gerdes had 7 each and Hatch and Trevor O'Brien had 2 each. Geiger also had seven rebounds, six assists, three steals and three blocked shots.
Sabers 52, Trojans 51
New Prague and Shakopee traded the lead several times in the first half, but Shakopee took control in the second. The Trojans led by three at 33-30 when Shakopee went on an 8-0 run to take a 5-point lead.
New Prague battled back and regained the lead at 49-48 on a three-pointer by Kreuser. The Sabers countered with a basket, then Geiger hit a jumper with 20 seconds left to put his team on top 51-50.
The Sabers came downcourt and Dylan Ulferts hit a jumper with five seconds left to give the Sabers the 52-51 win. Ulferts led Shakopee with 14 points.
The Trojans were led by Geiger with 12 points and Girten with 11. Kreuser and Dittberner added 6 each, Gerdes 5, Jake Meyer 4, Luke Busch 3 and Hatch and O'Brien had 2 each.
Girten had six rebounds and three steals. Kreuser dished out four assists.
Tigers 60, Trojans 54
New Prague led most of the way against the No 10-ranked Hutchinson Tigers Friday, but faltered in the closing minutes.
The Trojans led by as many as eight in the first half and by three at halftime. They maintained their lead until halfway through the second half, but never by more than three before the Tigers took the lead.
The Trojans closed to within one with a three-pointer by Dittberner at 55-54, but Hutch came downcourt and hit a basket, then made three free throws in the final minute to ice the game.
Geiger had 22 points to pace the Trojans, while Girten had 15. Meyer collected six rebounds and had three steals.
Also scoring for New Prague were Kreuser with 5, Dittberner and Meyer with 3 each and Hatch, Gerdes and Nick Litau all with 2.
