Sophia Keister

BLUE EARTH — Senior center Sophia Keister paced Blue Earth Area’s point production during the first half before the backcourt tandem of Lola Lundquist and Katherine Armon ignited the Bucs’ offense during the second half of the Blue Earth Area Holiday Invitational’s basketball championship game.

Keister produced her second consecutive double-double performance with game-highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Lundquist and Armon also scored in double figures to guide Blue Earth Area to a 53-36 victory over the Sibley East Wolverines on Friday to capture the tournament crown in Blue Earth.

Lundquist netted 13 points, including nine during the second half, to complement doling out five assists and pocketing three steals. Armon finished with 10 points, including eight during the final 18 minutes, to go with four assists and four steals.

Chloe Groe pulled down eight rebounds, while Keister — who scored 13 first-half points — also blocked three shots for the Bucs, who built a 22-13 lead by intermission before outscoring the Wolverines 31-23 in the second half.

Lauren Bauer connected for a game-best five 3-pointers to pace her team-leading 16-point performance for Sibley East.

Blue Earth Area (3-4) plays host to Albert Lea at 12:15 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, in Blue Earth.

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Third-Place Game

Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther 59, United South Central 30 — McKenna Benck generated a game-best 15 points to top a balanced scoring attack as the Jaguars spoiled the Rebels’ cause during the third-place game of the Bucs’ Holiday Invitational on Friday in Blue Earth.

McKenna Benck also ignited the Jaguars’ defense by pocketing a game-best seven steals to complement doling out three assists and grabbing five rebounds.

Olivia Mattson netted 13 points for GHECTML, while teammate Bethany Petrowiak produced solid all-around numbers of nine points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists.

Keira Benck tallied seven points and garnered four steals for the Jaguars, while teammate Brianna Petrowiak contributed six points, a game-best eight rebounds and three steals to the winning performance.

Taylor Schroeder scored 11 points to top USC.

Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther (4-2) plays host to Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda on Tuesday night in Granada.

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Boys Basketball

Championship

Blue Earth Area 47, United South Central 45 — Power forward Jack Norman’s putback basket with 1 second remaining in regulation iced the hometown Bucs’ two-point win over the Rebels for the Buc Holiday Invitational’s championship on Friday night in Blue Earth.

Norman neared double-double territory by scoring eight points to complement garnering a team-best nine boards, while teammate Ashton Lloyd tossed in 13 points to go with doling out three assists.

Will Bromeland contributed nine points and five boards to BEA’s winning effort, while Austin Skaden supplied seven points and pocketed four steals.

Abram Kokos tallied six points and dished out three assists, while Gage Barker added four points and three helpers for the Bucs, who made 20 of 50 field goals on the game. BEA hit 3 of 15 from 3-point range and went 4 of 9 at the free throw line.

Jonathan Martines connected on three 3-pointers to fuel his game-best 18-point performance for USC. Martines also garnered a game-high six steals.

Zale Bushlack produced a double-double effort of 12 points and a game-high 12 boards for the Rebels, while Taybor Conley chipped in 12 points and seven boards.

Blue Earth Area (7-0) travels to Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial on Tuesday.

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Third-Place Game

GHEC/Truman/Martin Luther 72, Sibley East 44 — Kayden Loeschen collected solid all-around numbers to help steer the Jaguars to a 28-point rout of the Wolverines during the third-place game of the Buc Holiday Invitational on Friday in Blue Earth.

Loeschen generated 17 points, pocketed six steals and distributed four assists, while teammate Jakob Fischer neared double-double territory by netting 13 points, grabbing eight rebounds and collecting six steals for the Jaguars.

Peyton Franzen and Jackson Madsen neared double-double efforts by tallying 10 points and nine points, respectively, to complement pulling down eight rebounds apiece for the Jaguars.

Zach Kettner scored nine points to top the Wolverines.

The Jaguars (4-3) play host to Alden-Conger on Thursday night in Granada.