Boys basketball: Nelson helps Blossoms hold off late FBA run
Published 10:29 pm Monday, February 8, 2016
BLOOMING PRAIRIE — Just when things looked like they were going to fall completely apart for the Blooming Prairie boys basketball team, the team’s leader made two big plays to preserve the Awesome Blossoms’ 49-45 win over Faribault Bethlehem Academy in BP Monday.
Blooming Prairie’s Mitchell Jones shoots over Alex Bongers of FBA in BP Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
FBA put up 14 straight points in a span of three minutes to pull within 47-45, but their comeback ended when BP senior Anthony Nelson helped force FBA’s Brendan Trump to step out of bounds on a drive with 7.8 seconds left in the game. Nelson, who had 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting with seven rebounds and five steals, sealed the game by knocking down two free throws with 2.2 seconds left.
“We just needed to relax. With a young team we have to be relaxed and play with a lot of poise,” Nelson said. “I just try to do as much as I can to encourage the young guys and give them opportunities.”
BP (8-15 overall, 4-8 Gopher) picked up the season sweep over the Cardinals after it had beaten FBA (7-16 overall, 2-8 Gopher) 62-60 in OT Jan. 5. The Blossoms looked to be headed to a much easier win on Monday when it took a 47-31 lead down the stretch, but that’s when BP started to struggle with turnovers.
“Their guards are the strength of their team,” BP head coach Nate Piller said of FBA. “They got after us and they made it difficult for us to bring the ball up. You get a little bit rattled when you give up one or two easy buckets and it’s kind of easy to let that snow ball if you’re not careful.”
The Blossoms snapped a three game losing skid with the win as their young players are starting to come around before the playoffs start next week. BP sophomores Jake Ressler, who had six points, eight rebounds and four assists, Marten Morem, who had six points and eight rebounds, and Max Romeo, all played big minutes for BP Monday.
Blooming Prairie’s Anthony Nelson pulls up for a shot over the defense of Ben Jandro of Faribault Bethlehem Academy in Blooming Priarie Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
“You can get a little shaky or a little nervous in those [late game] situations, but I think we’re handling a lot better than we did earlier in the season,” Ressler said.
Although the young players are coming along Piller said it was important to get the ball in Nelson’s hands down the stretch of the game.
“He’s by far our leader. I don’t think that’s ever been a question,” Piller said. “We want him to have the ball. I imagine he’s a little bit fatigued at the end of the game because he’s played a lot of minutes for us. He hasn’t had a lot of rest.”
BP 29 20 — 49
FBA 19 26 — 45
BP scoring: Anthony Nelson, 26; Mitchell Jones, 8; Jake Ressler, 6; Marten Morem, 6; Max Romeo, 3; free throws: 71 percent (5-for-7); rebounds: 39 (Ressler, 8); turnovers: 20
