Blossoms knocked off by Wildcats
Published 7:39 pm Saturday, February 28, 2015
Blooming Prairie’s John Rumpza goes up for a shot in Mayo Civic Auditorium in Rochester Saturday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
ROCHESTER — The No. 2 seeded Awesome Blossoms couldn’t stretch the floor out and it cost them as their season ended in a 58-42 loss to No. 1 Goodhue in the Section 1A West boys basketball title game in Mayo Civic Auditorium Saturday.
Blooming Prairie’s Mitchell Jones shoots over Goodhue’s Jacob McNamara in the Mayo Civic Auditorium in Rochester Saturday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
The Blossoms trailed 38-32 with five minutes left in the game when the Wildcats (23-7 overall) used a 20-4 run to put it away. Goodhue was able to get free for a couple of lay-ups to extend the lead to double digits and it closed the game out at the foul line.
BP had just seven turnovers on the night, but it connected on only 11 field goals and it didn’t hit a three-pointer.
“They’re so tough to come back on because they’re so deliberate and they make free throws too. They close out games,” BP head coach John Bruns said. “We were far from perfect tonight offensively. We got some looks and they just didn’t fall. They’re so solid defensively and they make you play a little faster.”
As BP struggled from the outside, Goodhue was able to fill up the paint and contain John Rumpza, who had 13 points and nine rebounds. BP’s Mitchell Jones chipped in 12 points and six rebounds, but he said it was a difficult game for the BP offense.
“It’s really tough because you’ve got to get good shots and if you don’t make them it’s going to be tough, because you know you’re going to get limited possessions,” Jones said. “It was frustrating because our defense was so good and our offense wasn’t able to match it.”
Blooming Prairie’s Anthony Nelson handles the ball against Goodhue in Mayo Civic Auditorium in Rochester Saturday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
BP led just twice in the first half and its latest lead came when Rumpza hit two free throws to put the Blossoms up 13-12 with 5:30 left in the first half.
Rumpza finishes his career as BP’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. He has more than 2,000 career points.
“John was probably one of the best things to come through Blooming,” said Jones, a junior. “John is someone to look up to, he’s a friend and he’s a lot of things.”
BP 16 26 — 42
Goodhue 20 38 — 58
BP scoring: John Rumpza, 13; Mitchell Jones, 12; Anthony Nelson, 7; Jake Decker, 2; Maxwell romeo, 2; free throws: 68 percent (17-for-25); rebounds: 25 (Rumpza, 9); turnovers: 7
