Photo by Ari Selvey: Fairmont’s Brayden Williamson (5) shoots a floater during the consolation finals of the Kwik Trip Holiday Boys Basketball Tournament against Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial at Bethany Lutheran College on Monday.

MANKATO — Fairmont finished the Kwik Trip Holiday Boys Basketball Tournament as consolation champions after a 57-54 win over Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial on Monday at Bethany Lutheran College.

“Lake Crystal has a really great basketball team,” Fairmont head coach Jared Thompson said. “Really long, a lot of shooters, great decision makers. So to hold them to 54 points is probably the key to the game. We have a good defensive team, so our defensive effort tonight, being there on their shooters, rebounding well, and there were some big shots in the game. Joe Long’s 3 was huge with about four or five minutes left to give us a little extra breathing room.”

Logan Junkermeier led the Cardinals with 14 points, while Reed Johnson had 10 points.

The 6-10 Junkermeier and 6-5 Johnson had to contend with height on the Knights as well, as LCWM had four players at 6-4 or taller, including 6-11 Carter Lowis. But Fairmont prevailed, still finding success in the paint.

“Length inside, I trust Logan against length any time,” coach Thompson said. “But their length on the perimeter is what had us really worried, because defensively it makes things really difficult. The fact that Logan just continues to demand a double team, even playing against a 6-11 guy just opens up so many things for our shooters. We’re blessed to have him and Reed inside that they double all the time, because it just makes our guards’ lives so much easier.”

The game started close, with the Knights holding a 19-17 lead that extended to 21-17. Fairmont fought back with a layup from Carmyne Hecht and a pair of free throws from Junkermeier to tie it a 21, but Brayden Mathews hit a 3 for LCWM to recapture the lead. Fairmont took the lead back with a layup from Merritt Pomerenke and a mid-range jumper from Junkermeier, and the teams battled back and forth for several possessions. A stepback 3 from Brayden Williamson gave the Cardinals a 30-28 lead, but the Knights were able to tie it with a mid-range shot from Lowis to tie it at 30 at halftime.

Joseph Crissinger opened the second half with a layup for Fairmont, and the teams went back and forth again. Fairmont gained a 38-35 lead on a pair of free throws from Junkermeier, then extended that lead with a corner 3 from Jordan Thompson as the Cardinals went on a 11-0 run, capped off by a transition layup by Tavain Harvey for a 45-35 lead. LCWM got back in it with a 3 from Mathews, but Fairmont stayed ahead with a putback from Johnson and another 3 from Jordan Thompson for a 50-42 advantage. Long’s 3 gave the Cardinals a 56-46 lead, and the Knights put together a quick 5-0 run to cut the lead down to 56-51 with 35.8 seconds to go, but Fairmont was able to hang on for the 57-54 win.

Fairmont (7-2) play at Redwood Valley on Saturday.