ADAMS — A couple of three-pointers went a long way for the Blooming Prairie boys basketball team as they scored a season-high amount of points and picked up their first win of the season over Spring Grove in the first round of the Rebel Invite Thursday.

BP’s outside shooters opened up the lane for Cooper Nelson, who poured in 14 second half points in the Awesome Blossom’s 47-40 win over the Lions (2-3 overall).

Spring Grove clogged the lane early on, but Gabe Kartes and Luke Hueman hit back-to-back triples to ignite a 13-0 run that put BP up 16-5 with 8:12 left in the first half.

Kartes ended up with three three-pointers on the night, while he finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.

“They wanted to take Cooper out of the game and they decided they weren’t going to guard (Kartes),” BP head coach John Bruns said. “He missed the first couple and I think he was maybe too open. But he’s been shooting the ball well and we’re finding people to step up so they have to defend five guys instead of just one guy.”

BP (1-3 overall) went on to lead 23-14 at the break, but the Lions scored the first six points of the second half before Isaac Clark knocked down a three from the wing to give his team momentum.

“They were really taking away our inside game so it was really big for them to knock down those outside shots so it could spread the defense out a little more,” said Nelson, who finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, five blocks and two steals.

The Blossoms never relinquished their early lead, but Spring Grove got as close as 41-36 with 4:24 left and Nelson responded with two straight inside scores to put his team in control with three minutes left in the game.

BP’s defense was able to hold off the Lions, by limiting their top scorer, Aric Elton, to just nine points. Elton was averaging 25 points per game, but the duo of Kartes and Luc Zellmer helped contain him.

“Coach told me to remember the number thirty-five and he said don’t let him get the ball and don’t help on defense,” Kartes said. “We just stayed up in his face the whole night.”

While BP’s guards were controlling the perimeter Nelson, a senior center, was patrolling the lane for them.

“We know that our offense isn’t the greatest and we have to be a defensive team. We work a lot on it in practice,” Nelson said. “Usually I’m covering a guy in the low post and when I see someone drive I’m always thinking about blocking a shot.”

BP received solid efforts from Clark, who had six rebounds and three assists, and Michael Thomas, who had six points, five rebounds and three assists.

With some of its newer players learning the ropes, the Blossoms are in much better shape than when they opened the season.

“We’ve been improving every game and we’re still not one hundred percent pleased but it was an improvement,” Bruns said. “We came out on the good end of some scramble plays and that just shows we’re getting better.”

BP will play Southland (1-4 overall) in Adams after the consolation game between Spring Grove and LeRoy/Ostrander, which begins at 6 p.m. Friday.

SG 14 26 — 40

BP 23 24 — 47

BP scoring: Cooper Nelson, 16; Gabe Kartes, 10; Michael Thomas, 6; Tom Fogarty, 4; Luke Hueman, 3; Isaac Clark, 3; Luc Zellmer, 2; Alex Fiebiger, 2; free throws: 60 percent (6-for-10); rebounds: 39 (Nelson, 8); turnovers: 19

SG scoring: Jake Kraus, 12; Eli Gleason, 10; Aric Elton, 9; Matthew Anderson, 4; Brandon Schuttemeier, 3; Josh Olerud, 2; free throws: 17 percent (1-for-6); rebounds: 27; turnovers: 15