HANDS-UP PLAY — Blue Earth Area’s Maddie Schiltz (21) challenges Martin County West’s Liv Borchardt for the basketball as Maverick teammate Ella Carlson helps Borchardt gain control of the rebound during action Monday night in Blue Earth. The Bucs’ Sophia Keister (far right) and Erika Gaydon (11), along with the Mavericks’ Avery Sanders (far left), Emily Anderson and Kari Matejka (second from right), watch the action. (Photo by Greg Abel)

BLUE EARTH — Martin County West guard Emily Anderson scored a game-leading 14 points, including a 3-pointer late in the second half, as the Mavericks edged the Blue Earth Area Bucs 41-40 in a nonconference tilt on Monday night.

“It’s always good to be in games like this,” MCW coach Michael Slaba said. “You never know when you’re going to be in a tight game in the playoffs, so it’s always good to be in tight games to feel the atmosphere and feel what the pressure’s like.”

After the Mavericks jumped out to a 27-19 halftime lead, the Bucs responded with a second-half rally to close the gap to two with less than five minutes remaining in regulation.

“We changed defenses and went to man defense,” BEA head coach Chris Voss said. “Our girls picked up the intensity, they started believing that they could play offense and defense at the same time.”

However, as the Bucs mounted a charge, the Mavericks would do just enough to not lose the lead throughout the second half. Although a 3-point shot from Bucs guard Lola Lundquist in the final minute cut the deficit to one, the Mavericks would successfully stave off the comeback attempt.

“In the second half, we didn’t exactly play the best,” Slaba said. “We were able to execute under some certain circumstances, but we were able get away with one. Blue Earth played a really good second half, they had a good game plan for what they were trying to do.”

In addition to leading the Mavericks in points, Anderson converted twice from 3-point range, as teammate Kari Matejka also made a pair of 3-pointers along with going 2-for-2 on free throws to take second on the team in scoring. Avery Sanders came off the bench to earn seven points for MCW, while center Liv Borchardt led the team with 11 rebounds.

Lundquist and forward Maddie Schiltz both claimed double-digit point totals with 10 apiece for the Bucs, while forward Sophia Keister grabbed six rebounds in the loss.

The Mavericks (6-9) travel to Buffalo Lake-Hector for a nonconference matchup on Thursday night, while the Bucs (4-14) remain home to take on Fairmont in a Big South Conference showdown on Friday night.