Athletics go to the paint to top Falcons

Published 7:56 pm Monday, February 19, 2024

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When it mattered most, the Lyle-Pacelli boys basketball team had just enough physicality to outlast Wabasha-Kellogg 56-60 in Pacelli Gym Monday night.

The game was knotted at 48 with under a minute left when Landon Meyer worked his way inside and bounced in an eight-footer to put the Athletics up for good. L-P followed that up with a defensive stop and Isaac Nelsen iced the game with a breakaway lay-up that put his team up 52-48 with 27.5 seconds left.

“We haven’t done the best in these situations, so it felt good to get one,” L-P head coach Carl Truckenmiller said. “We didn’t panic and we relaxed a little bit. It was a good win. We played good defense and we handled our foul trouble.”

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The Athletics (12-14 overall) struggled with their outside shot throughout most of the game, which caused head coach Carl Truckenmiller to go with a double post offense that put Dylan Christianson and Meyer on the blocks. It paid off for L-P as Christianson finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds and three assists and Meyer added 13 points.

Christianson, who scored to put L-P up 47-45 with 4:55 left, is always comfortable in the paint and he was even more effective with Meyer by his side.

“It’s what I’ve been doing my whole life. With Landon down there, it’s easier,” Christianson said. “We don’t have the biggest guys, but we’re tough. This was fun for us and we just love it. That’s why we play the game, we love it.”

Christianson scored to put L-P up 41-36 with 8:26 left in the game, but the Falcons (10-14 overall) scored the next five points as Henry Meyer knocked down a three to tie the game at 41 with 7:40 left.

It was a back and forth battle from that point on.

“Landon and Dylan really helped us,” said Nelsen, who scored 12 points. “When the threes aren’t falling, they can get inside and score. I get a lot of motivation from Dylan and I also have to reel him back in if he’s getting in foul trouble.”

Wabasha-Kellogg 20  30  –  50

Lyle-Pacelli 24  32  –  56  

L-P scoring: Dylan Christianson, 16; Landon Meyer, 13; Isaac Nelsen, 12; Chase Bauer, 11; Leland Hicks, 3; Andrew Fredrick, 1