Back in black: Blossoms ride experience to cruise to a quarterfinal win over Hurricanes
Published 9:14 pm Monday, March 3, 2025
Blooming Prairie's Gabe Staloch handles the ball. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie's Cooper Cooke puts back a shot off an offensive rebound in Mayo Civic Auditorium Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Bradley Boyd looks to make a pass for the Awesome Blossoms. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Gabe Staloch pulls up for a lay-up for Blooming Prairie. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie's Brady Kittelson drops off a pass at Mayo Civic Auditorium Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie's Jacob Pauly controls the ball against Houston Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
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ROCHESTER – Blooming Prairie found its comfort zone early as its big game experience paid off when it beat No. 5 seeded Houston 56-45 in a Section 1A boys basketball quarterfinal in Mayo Civic Auditorium Monday night.
No. 4 BP held a comfortable lead for the entire second half as its senior group of Brady Kittelson, who finished with 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals, Cooper Cooke, who had six points and 15 rebounds, and Jacob Pauly, who had six points, stayed patient and under control.
“Our guys came ready to play and I think the experience from last season really helped us out coming into this game,” BP head coach Cam Rutledge said. “They knew what to expect. It was a game of runs and I thought we answered their runs pretty well.”
Sophomore Gabe Staloch was the firestarter for BP’s offense as he hit five three-pointers, including one to beat the first half buzzer and put BP up 35-19 at the break. He finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds and three steals, for the Awesome Blossoms (21-6 overall), who have now won eight in a row.
Kittelson said having years of experience playing in the Civic Center are priceless when the lights get brighter and the games get bigger.
“Our nerves were a lot less than theirs, I bet, because we’re used to it. We’re used to that backdrop on our shots,” Kittelson said. “When Gabe gets hot, he’s a hell of a player. You’ve just got to let him do what he does and be ready for it when he passes you the ball.”
The Blossoms opened the game in full gear as they scored the first 10 points of the contest and they led 19-2 after holding the Hurricanes to just one field goal in the opening eight minutes of the game.
Houston (19-7 overall) wasn’t able to get any closer than 11 the rest of the way.
The game was physical in the paint for most of the night, and Cooke embraced it as he took over with his size.
“It’s fun to have a little trash talking in there,” he said. “It’s so much fun playing in games like this.”
BP will now play top-seeded Goodhue in Mayo Civic Auditorium in a Section 1A semifinal at 11 a.m. Saturday. The Wildcats beat BP in the Section 1A title game last year and BP lost to Goodhue 73-41 on Jan. 4 this season.
“They’re an aggressive team and they shoot the ball very well,” Rutledge said. “We bring back a few guys last year, but they bring back most of their lineup. I told the guys we’ve got nothing to lose as a four seed, so we’re going to play good basketball and compete with them.”
Houston 19 26 – 45
BP 35 21 – 56
BP scoring: Gabe Staloch, 23; Brady Kittelson, 13; Bradley Boyd, 8; Jacob Pauly, 6; Cooper Cooke, 6
Houston scoring: Morgan Rohweder, 18; Carter Geitwitz, 11; Maddox Rodriguez, 10; Nils Dauer, 4; Zach Olson, 3; Alex Wedl, 2
