RED WING – The Austin boys basketball team lost its second straight game to a ranked team by double digits, but the Packers aren’t exactly licking their wounds just yet.

Austin suffered through a sluggish first half, but it showed some fire in a 56-47 loss to No. 1 ranked Red Wing (21-0 overall, 17-0 Big Nine) on the road Saturday.

Austin (16-5 overall, 14-4 Big Nine) trailed 11-9 in the first half, but the Wingers surged to a 14-4 run to close the first half and they opened the second half on a quick 8-0 spurt to take an 18-point lead.

Austin battled back to get as close as 47-41 when Tate Hebrink hit a baseline three with 2:18 left in the game.

“[In the first half], we were not smart, we took a lot of bad shots, we played really bad half court offense and we showed a lack of understanding,” Austin head coach Kris Fadness said. “In the second half we found some things that can propel us and I think our guys should know now what it takes to beat that team if we play them again.”

Both Gach stepped up his game for the Packers as he finished with 20 points, three assists and four rebounds. He said Austin just didn’t execute for much of the night.

“I think we have to learn,” Both said. “We have to get past that physicality when they’re bumping us. We didn’t get screens at the angles we needed and we were standing too far from the perimeter.”

The sophomore trio of Both, Duoth Gach and Hebrink had 40 of Austin’s 47 points Saturday.

“Both was a difference maker down the stretch and Tate is getting better and better for us,” Fadness said.

Austin 13 31 – 47

RW 25 31 – 56

Austin scoring: Both Gach, 20; Duoth Gach, 12; Tate Hebrink, 8; Zach Coffey, 5; Mark Manyuon, 2; free throws: 66 percent (4-for-6); rebounds: 19 (Oman, 6); turnovers: 10