FAIRMONT — The Mannequin Challenge came to life, so to speak with tongue-in-cheek, during Friday night’s Big South Conference girls basketball game at Cardinal Gym in Fairmont.

Waseca sophomore forward Madison Gehloff delivered 10 of her game-best 15 points in breaking the visiting Bluejays out of freeze-frame mode during the second half to pace a low-scoring 32-21 victory over the Fairmont Cardinals.

“I know holding the basketball during the final four minutes of the first half was not popular among the fans, but I’m not apologizing for it (the strategy),” said Waseca head coach Joan Conway. “Our top two scorers (Gehloff and Emily Karsten) each picked up two fouls early in the game, so we opted to take some time off the clock.”

Trailing 12-8 on the heels of Brooke Hunwardsen running cutter in traffic, Fairmont head coach Don Waletich stunned the Cardinal Gym crowd — and Conway to some degree — by opting not to switch to a player-to-player defensive alignment as his players remained motionless in a 1-3-1 zone.

Waseca guard Taylor Hiller actually cradled the basketball near the sideline only a mere 15 feet from the midcourt line from the 3:50 juncture until the Bluejays came to life during the final 20 seconds before intermission. The tactic did not produce any points as Fairmont post player Brenna Cutler powerfully rejected Waseca’s perimeter shot as time elapsed.

Hunwardsen, who produced a team-best eight points, crashed the offensive glass for a putback basket to inch the Cardinals within 16-12 with 13 minutes remaining in the defensive struggle’s second half.

Gehloff countered by sinking a pair of free throws at the 12:29 mark before Waletich and the Cardinals called timeout.

Ironically, Conway and the Bluejays went into Mannequin mode again, this time, literally holding an 18-12 lead. Freshman guard Gus Boyer earned the honor of holding the basketball until Waletich signalled for his Cardinals to match up player-to-player with 8 minutes remaining in regulation.

“Our personnel didn’t match up well with Waseca at either juncture in the game, but we had to do something to try to draw even with them,” said Waletich.

“We were ready for when they (the Cardinals) came at us in their man-to-man (in the second half) and were able to capitalize on it,” said Conway.

Hiller drove the lane for a gliding banker, Gehloff swooshed a baseline jumper and Gehloff capped Waseca’s 6-0 surge with a sweeping lay-in down the lane to double the Bluejays’ lead at 24-12 with two minutes remaining.

Hunwardsen finally ended the Cardinals’ modified scoring drought of 10 minutes by pocketing a backcourt steal and hit the layup with 1:40 to go.

After Abby DeWitt drilled a 3-pointer for Fairmont, the Cardinals were forced to foul during the final minute and Waseca freshman forward Hannah Potter sank 6 of 7 free throws to cap the 11-point victory.

Potter finished with eight points and six rebounds for the Bluejays, while DeWitt tallied seven points for the Cardinals. Taylor Crissinger pulled down six rebounds and distributed three assists for Fairmont.

“We play three games in four days, so that’s another reason why we pulled the ball out,” said Conway.

Fairmont (7-7) travels to Blue Earth Area next Friday night for a 6 p.m. tipoff, while Waseca (10-3) travels to Hayfield tonight for a 7 p.m. non-league game.

Waseca        12-20–32

Fairmont       8-13–21

FAIRMONT (21)

B. Cutler 0-2 0-0 0, Hunwardsen 4-8 0-0 8, C. Cutler 0-2 4-6 4, DeWitt 2-6 2-2 7, Lunn 1-2 0-0 2, Crissinger 0-8 0-0 0, Lardy 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 7-30 6-8 21.

WASECA (32)

Gehloff 6-12 2-2 15, Hiller 1-3 0-0 2, Potter 1-4 6-7 8, E. Karsten 1-7 0-0 3, Boyer 1-2 1-2 4, B. Karsten 0-4 0-1 0, Breck 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 10-33 9-12 32.

3-pointers: Fairmont 1-8 (DeWitt 1-1, Crissinger 0-4, Hunwardsen 0-3); Waseca 3-8 (Gehloff 1-1, Boyer 1-1, E. Karsten 1-4, Hiller 0-1, B. Karsten 0-1). Fouled out: None. Rebounds: Fairmont 22 (Crissinger 6); Waseca 17 (Potter 6). Assists: Fairmont 3 (Crissinger 3); Waseca 4. Steals: Waseca 3; Fairmont 2.

Waseca defeated Fairmont in B-squad action, 30-18, Friday night in Fairmont.

Chloe Murphy scored five points to top the Cardinals, while Cambrie Anderson and Savannah Baker chipped in four points apiece.

Waseca edged Fairmont, 30-29, in C-squad play Friday night in Fairmont.

Bryn Miller delivered 10 points for the Cardinals, while Madyson Allen supplied six points.

Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther 78, Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial 47 — Hanna Geistfeld and Kenlie Pytleski combined for 43 points to power the Jaguars to a 31-point Valley Conference victory over the Knights on Friday night in Lake Crystal.

Geistfeld neared triple-double territory by scoring a game-best 23 points to complement a game-high nine assists and seven boards.

Pytleski generated 20 points and pulled down seven rebounds, while Renae Wallace — the Jaguars’ third triple tower — neared double-double territory by grabbing a game-best 10 rebounds to go with eight points.

The Jaguars made 11 of 14 free throws and 32 of 67 field goals overall on the night.

Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther (12-2, 4-1 Valley) travels to Alden on Tuesday night.

GTML      31-47–78

LCWM     25-22–47

Martin County West 60, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 33 — Sierra Williamson neared double-double territory to stampede the Mavericks to a 27-point Valley Conference victory over the Bulldogs on Friday night in Janesville.

Sierra Williamson pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds to go with nine points, while teammate Alyssa Williamson generated a game-high 14 points to complement five assists.

Renae Eckmann contributed 10 points to MCW’s winning ways, Hunter Wrightson produced eight points, while Maia Taylor doled out four assists and pocketed three steals.

The Mavericks made 24 of 47 field goals overall for 51 percent and sank 11 of 29 free throws for 37 percent.

Martin County West (8-3) plays host to Nicollet on Monday night in Trimont.

MCW       36-24–60

JWP         16-17–33

New Ulm 63, Blue Earth Area 42 — Meleah Reinhart erupted for a game-best 26 points to propel the Eagles to a 21-point Big South Conference triumph over the Bucs on Friday night in Blue Earth.

Joey Batt contributed 15 points for New Ulm, who made 24 of 60 field goals overall and 11 of 21 free throws on the game.

Samantha Ripley collected seven points and five rebounds to top Blue Earth Area, while teammate Sidney Blair chipped in six points.

The Bucs connected on 13 of 48 field goals and 14 of 22 free throws on the night.

Blue Earth Area (5-8) plays host to Medford at 7:15 p.m. tonight in Blue Earth.

New Ulm        39-24–63

B.E. Area       25-17–42

Boys Basketball

Waseca 72, Fairmont 37 — Malik Willingham delivered a game-high 21 points to power the Class 3A, No. 9-ranked Bluejays to a 35-point Big South Conference victory over the Cardinals on Friday night in Waseca.

Waseca, who improved to 13-0 overall on the season, built a 44-14 halftime lead and never looked back.

Nate Kallenbach and Walker Tordsen each scored 11 points to pace the Cardinals, while teammate Derek Missling chipped in seven points and five rebounds.

The Cardinals made 8 of 19 shots from 2-point range, 3 of 15 behind the 3-point arc and 12 of 17 at the free throw line.

Fairmont (6-6) plays host to United South Central on Monday night.

Fairmont      14-23–37

Waseca         44-28–72

Waseca downed Fairmont in B-squad action, 40-35, Friday night in Waseca.

Dustin Schultz scored 13 points to top the Cardinals, while Lucas Denney added seven points.

Jack Hested scored 12 points to help guide Fairmont to a 43-21 win over Waseca during C-squad action Friday night in Waseca.

Dan Betts contributed 10 points to the Cardinals’ winning ways.

Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 60, Martin County West 58 — Andrew Fisel delivered four 3-pointers, including the game-winning trifecta with 20 seconds remaining in regulation, to help the Bulldogs nip the Mavericks by two during Valley Conference action on Friday the 13th in Sherburn.

Ironically, Fisel, who wears the No. 13 jersey, finished with 12 points, teammate Sam Eustice tallied 14 points and Josh Janike finished with 13 points.

Cam Dressen, Josh Bjerken and Wyatt Geistfeld all scored 13 points to pace the Mavericks, while teammate Logan Ebeling finished with 11 points. Geistfeld also dished out four assists and pocketed five steals.

The Mavericks made 4 of 7 free throws, 21 of 34 shots from 2-point range and 4 of 13 behind the arc.

Martin County West (3-10) travels to St. Clair on Tuesday night.

JWP       25-35–60

MCW     25-33–58

New Ulm 60, Blue Earth Area 39 — Connor Foley produced game-highs of 25 points and nine boards to steer the Eagles to a 21-point Big South Conference triumph over the Bucs on Friday night in New Ulm.

Cooper Yackley delivered 14 points and nine rebounds for New Ulm, which made 25 of 43 field goals overall and 7 of 12 free throws.

Blake Barnett netted 18 points, seven rebounds and three steals to top the Bucs. Caelan Sanders chipped in five points, while Jacob Vaske added four points and three steals.

The Bucs hit 14 of 41 field goals overall and 6 of 8 at the free throw line.

Blue Earth Area (3-8) hosts Le Sueur-Henderson Monday night.

B.E. Area      18-21–39

New Ulm      22-38–60