LONG REBOUND — Fairmont’s Brylee Miller (middle) and teammate Nevaeh Rahm (far right) stretch to snare a long rebound during Big South Conference basketball action Thursday night at Cardinal Gym in Fairmont. Fairmont’s Hope Klanderud (13) and Ellie Ortega (20), along with Luverne’s Kira John (second from right), look on. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — “If we could have played two 16-minute halves, we would have won the game,” Luverne head girls basketball coach TJ Newgard said with a wry smile on the heels of his lineup’s 61-52 Big South Conference loss to Fairmont on Thursday night at Cardinal Gym.

“I was thinking the exact same thing,” said Fairmont head coach Sara Junkermeier. “We really scored a lot of points during the final two minutes of the first half and the last three minutes of the second half to come away with a key conference and sectional win.”

Trailing 26-16 on the heels of a low-post basket by Kiesli Smith — Luverne’s 6-foot-1 senior center, Fairmont bookended a first half-ending 12-2 offensive avalanche with a pair of ‘3 … 2 … 1’ 3-pointers to knot the score at 28-all by intermission.

Hope Klanderud triggered Fairmont’s double-figure scoring surge by beating the 35-second shot clock with a timely 3-pointer from the top of the key.

Miller then doled out one of her game-best five assists to Nevaeh Rahm for a low-post leaner before Klanderud fed Rahm for two more of her dozen points to whittle Fairmont’s deficit to 26-23 with 33 seconds to go in the first half.

Miller then pocketed a mid-court steal and drove the distance for two of her game-leading 25 points only 10 seconds later to inch within one.

Smith, who co-led Luverne with teammate Kira Johnson with 16 points apiece, tossed in low-post leaner for a 28-25 edge with 9 seconds remaining.

Ironically, Miller, who also contributed a team-high 10 rebounds to finish with a second straight double-double, snapped the Cardinal Gym nets on a 28-footer to beat the buzzer and tie the score at 28-all.

“Brylee kind of eyed the volleyball (court’s) 10-foot line twice, lined it up and nailed it at the horn to go into the lockerroom tied,” Junkermeier said in reference to Miller’s clutch 3.

Ironically, Smith generated 10 of Luverne’s 24 second-half points and grabbed eight of the visitors’ 15 rebounds during the last 18 minutes to inch her Cardinals within 50-46 with 3 minutes to go in regulation.

Ava Terfehr, who finished with nine points, triggered Fairmont’s game-closing 15-2 run to help salvage the win.

Terfehr utilized a left-handed runner and converted the ‘and-1′ free throw before Rahm tossed in a duck-under post shot to swing a 51-50 lead back to Fairmnt with 2 1/2 minutes remaining.

Rahm then dished one of her four assists to a cutting Miller for two more points before Miller worked the low blocks for another 2-pointer and 55-50 margin at the 1:30 juncture.

Miller then drilled her fourth and final 3-pointer from the right corner to put the game out of reach at 58-50 with 54 seconds left in regulation.

Miller and Terfehr combined for three free throws in the final 22 seconds to help offset Tori Serie’s runner for Luverne.

Hope Klanderud tossed in a pair of 3-pointers to finish with eight points for Fairmont. Sarah Stegenga made two treys en route to 12 points on the game for Luverne.

Fairmont (13-9) travels to Jackson County Central on Monday for a 6 p.m. tipoff in Game 1 of a varsity doubleheader.

Luverne (5-13) hits the road to St. James Area tonight.

Luverne       28-24–52

Fairmont     28-33–61

FAIRMONT (61)

Terfehr 2-7 4-5 9, Ortega 1-3 0-1 2, Rahm 6-10 0-2 12, Pendergast 2-13 0-0 5, Miller 10-19 1-2 25, Becker 0-4 0-2 0, H. Klanderud 3-3 0-0 8. Totals 24-59 5-12 61.

LUVERNE (52)

Smith 6-14 3-3 16, John 7-17 2-3 16, Serie 1-2 2-2 4, Stegenga 5-13 0-0 12, Bloemendaal 0-1 0-0 0, Voorhees 2-3 0-0 4, Visker 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-52 7-8 52.

3-pointers: Fairmont 8-20 (Miller 4, H. Klanderud 2, Terfehr and Pendergast 1 each); Luverne 3-13 (Stegenga 2, Smith 1). Fouled out: None. Rebounds: Fairmont 34 (Miller 10); Luverne 26 (Smith 12). Assists: Fairmont 13 (Miller 5, Rahm 4); Luverne 7 (Serie 3). Steals: Fairmont 7; Luverne 7. Blocked shots: Luverne 6 (Smith 6).

Fairmont staved off Luverne, 36-35, during B-squad hoops action Thursday night at Cardinal Gym.

Emelia Klanderud produced 13 points and doled out five assists to help top Fairmont, while Makayla Lowry delivered 13 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out five assists.

Gwyneth Schultz tossed in a game-leading 19 points to steer Fairmont to a 51-37 victory over Luverne during C-squad action Thursday night.

Abbie Simpson contributed nine points to Fairmont’s winning performance.

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Boys Basketball

Fairmont 62, Luverne 59 — Levi Pooley scored all 18 of his points during the second half to help Fairmont rally from a 33-15 halftime deficit to overtake Luverne by three points during Big South Conference action Thursday night in Luverne.

Pooley, who connected on three 3-pointers to complement distributing five assists and pocketing five steals, spearheaded Fairmont’s 47-26 second-half offensive advantage.

Oliver Tordsen neared double-double territory by scoring 12 points and grabbing nine rebounds for Fairmont, which netted its fourth consecutive victory.

Hadan Toomer scored 10 points for Fairmont, Logan Junkermeier supplied eight points and seven rebounds, while Blaze Geiger contributed six points and five assists to the winning performance.

Harmon Schrunk doled out three assists for Fairmont, which made 15 of 32 shots from 2-point range, 7 of 21 behind the 3-point arc and 11 of 22 at the free throw line.

Fairmont (8-10) travels to Jackson County Central on Monday night for Game 2 of a varsity doubleheader.

Luverne edged Fairmont, 49-47, during B-squad action Thursday night in Luverne.

Jordan Thompson netted 11 points to pace Fairmont’s effort, Joe Long tallied nine points and Merritt Pomerenke added seven points.

Reed Johnson poured in a game-leading 22 points to engineer Fairmont’s 44-35 win over Luverne during C-squad action Thursday night in Luverne.

Josh Soelter added eight points to Fairmont’s winning ways.

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Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther 49, Alden-Conger 46 — Carter Fox erupted for yet another game-best double-double performance to help the Jaguars scratch out a three-point Valley Conference victory over the Knights on Thursday night in Truman.

Fox scored 24 points, pulled down a career-best 18 rebounds, blocked four opponents’ shots and dished out three assists.

Jackson Madsen neared double-double territory by scoring nine points to go with 11 rebounds for the Jaguars, while Bryce Borkenhagen grabbed six boards, dished out four assists and garnered three steals.

Eli Jensen netted five points and Carter Brudelie pocketed four steals for the Jaguars, who held a 21-18 halftime lead.

The Jaguars (7-12) travel to Madelia on Tuesday night for another Valley Conference game.