The Montevideo boys basketball team came into Friday’s game in Barrett averaging 75 points per game for the 2024-25 season.

The fourth-ranked (Class 2A) Thunder Hawks ran into a tough West Central Area defense on Feb. 21, 2025.

The Knights, a Class A team, held the Thunder Hawks (20-4) to 51 points in a 59-51 win on Friday in Barrett.

"What a rewarding evening for our young men," WCA head coach Brian Kjesbo said. "Montevideo and head coach [Derek] Webb are having an exceptional year and they have secured a share of the conference title. I thought we rose to the challenges they presented and brought a focused and intense defensive mindset and then maintained it for 36 minutes. Holding them to 51 is a job well done and a reflection of how well our guys competed and executed a connected defensive effort."

WCA senior Bye Ben had a big night as he had 19 points and 15 rebounds. Marshall Dewey nearly had a double-double as he had 15 points and nine rebounds. He also had three assists and three steals.

Sam Hanson had eight points, nine assists, and seven rebounds for the Knights, while Cash Nelson totaled 10 points, seven rebounds, and two steals in what coach Kjesbo described as his "game of the year."

WCA’s Jack Sabolik finished Friday’s game with three steals, three rebounds, and two assists. Isaac Allen finished with five points, a rebound, and an assist, while Dajon Olson finished with two points and two rebounds, and Carter Kjesbo had an assist.

WCA (16-8) hosts BOLD (16-9) at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday.

Osakis boys hold off Upsala to lock up Prairie Conference title

The Osakis boys basketball team led 40-17 at halftime over Upsala on Friday and while its halftime lead was cut in half, Osakis held on to win 63-54 to win its eighth Prairie Conference title in nine years.

“We seem to like making games interesting lately but we seem to find ways to win the close ones. We had an excellent first half on both ends of the floor,” Osakis head coach Matt Hoelscher said. “I’m so happy with how we’ve battled through adversity all year.”

Seth Staloch and Andrew Jones had monstrous games for Osakis. Staloch finished with a double-double, 16 points, and 18 rebounds, while Jones also had a double-double, 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Osakis (15-8) plays at Swanville (12-12) at 7:15 p.m. on Monday.

Osakis (15-8) – 40 23 – 63

Upsala (17-6) – 17 37 – 54

OSAKIS TEAM STATS – FIELD GOALS – 25/47; 3-POINTERS – 7/18; FREE THROWS – 6/8; ASSISTS – 9; BLOCKS – 2; REBOUNDS – 40; STEALS – 6; DEFLECTIONS – 1; FOULS – 6; TURNOVERS – 19

OSAKIS INDIVIDUAL STATS – Austin Dickinson – 9 points, 2 assists, 5 rebounds; Andrew Jones – 16 points, 6 assists, 1 block, 12 rebounds, 4 steals, 1 deflection; Wyatt Klimek – 11 points, 1 assist, 2 rebounds, 1 steal; Seth Staloch – 16 points, 18 rebounds, 1 steal; Tyler Wolbeck – 8 points, 1 block, 3 rebounds; Landon Chisholm – 3 points

BOLD boys top Minnewaska

The Minnewaska boys basketball team ended the regular season with a 75-65 loss to BOLD (16-8) on Friday in Bird Island.

“It was a very physical game,” Minnewaska head coach Zach Traphagen said. I’m proud of our guys battling back after falling behind by 20 in the early part of the second half. We cut it to eight points with four minutes to go and kept the pressure on them. It was a good response to a tough loss the night before.”

BOLD (16-8) shot 21-of-25 from the free throw line while Minnewaska (11-14) shot 4-of-8.

Tristan O’Neil led Minnewaska’s offense with 14 points on Friday.

Minnewaska begins the Section 3-2A Tournament on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.

Minnewaska (11-14) – 28 37 – 65

BOLD (16-8) – 39 36 – 75

MINNEWASKA TEAM STATS – FIELD GOALS – 26/61; 3-POINTERS – 9/24; FREE THROWS – 4/8; ASSISTS – 19; BLOCKS – 2; REBOUNDS – 28; STEALS – 7; DEFLECTIONS – 1; FOULS – 20; TURNOVERS – 16

BOLD TEAM STATS – FIELD GOALS – 24/49; 3-POINTERS – 6/18; FREE THROWS – 21/25; BLOCKS – 2; REBOUNDS – 27; STEALS – 10; FOULS – 14; TURNOVERS – 14

MINNEWASKA INDIVIDUAL STATS – Tristan O’Neil – 14 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals; Marc Gruber – 9 points, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 rebound, 1 steal; Zachary Palmer – 4 points, 1 assist, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 deflection; Luke Danielson – 2 points, 4 assists, 6 rebounds; Connor Frey – 4 points, 2 assists, 4 rebounds; Tenzin Dahl – 7 points, 6 assists, 1 block, 4 rebounds, 1 steal; Kaiden Harvey – 8 points, 4 rebounds; Owen Meulebroeck – 1 rebound

The Alexandria girls basketball team ended its regular season with a dominant 78-23 win on the road over Detroit Lakes (8-18) on Friday. Stats from this game are currently unavailable.

Alexandria is now set to begin the Section 8-3A Tournament. Alexandria figures to be the No. 1 seed in the section and would have an opening round bye followed by a section semifinal game at home on Saturday, March 1, if the bracket turns out to be that way.

The Section 8-3A Tournament bracket is set to be unveiled on Sunday, Feb. 23.

Other area scores from Friday, Feb. 22, 2025