Cubs narrowly fall to Upsala, bounce back with two wins

Upsala

After a slow start, the Cubs boys’ basketball team rallied back to tie its game with the Upsala Cardinals at 42-42 on a pair of -Bryant Knaus free-throws.

Later trailing 51-48, the Cubs had three opportunities to cut into that deficit or tie the game but, as Cubs head coach Jay Klein said via email, “it just was not meant to be.” The Cubs fell by a 51-48 final at home Monday, Jan. 27, kicking off a four-game homestand.

The Cubs fell behind 21-6 in the first half, but did gradually battle its way back, trailing 31-24 at halftime. The second-half action saw it remain a tight contest.

Offensively, Bryant Knaus and Jed Spaulding each led the Cubs with double-double performances. Knaus recorded 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Spaulding 13 points and 14 rebounds. Owen Mortenson chipped in 10 points, and Ronnie Arnold grabbed nine rebounds to also pace the Cubs.

Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa

The Cubs built their 13-point halftime lead to as high as 20 points in the second half versus the
Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa Jaguars. The home team allowed the Jaguars to close to within 11 points, but no closer, in an eventual 61-49 home victory Tuesday, Jan. 28. With the win, the Cubs halted a two-game losing streak.

“This was good to bounce back after consecutive losses,” coach Klein said via email.

For most of the first half, the game remained close, but the Cubs went on a run over the final four minutes to take a 13-point lead, at 35-22, going into halftime. 

Bryant Knaus led the Cubs in the victory with 18 points, proving “difficult for BBE to stop inside,” according to coach Klein.

Andray Stang had a “solid” game, coach Klein highlighted, nearly recording a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds. Jed Spaulding posted a double-
double performance with 12 points and 11 rebounds along with four assists. Ronnie Arnold posted a balanced effort of seven points, three rebounds, three assists, and five steals.

“Ronnie Arnold had a great all-around game for us,” coach Klein said via email, “and played with incredible energy.”

Defensively, the Cubs’ Carl Knaus posted three blocks.

Royalton

With his team tied 6-6 early in the first half versus the Royalton Royals, coach Klein said his group played “really poorly” in allowing the Royals to go on a 21-5 run to take a 27-11 lead with four minutes left before halftime. The Cubs went into halftime trailing 38-23. 

He saw an “entirely different team” in the second half. The Cubs rallied all the way back to take the lead late, and pull away with the 67-52 section and conference home win on Friday, Jan. 31.

“We were very efficient on offense, and took care of the basketball,” coach Klein said via email. “We were able to get our posts involved and they carried us.”

The team took its first lead, at 50-49, since leading early in the game, when Owen Mortenson completed a three-point play with 6:22 left in the game. The team didn’t look back from there, coach Klein highlighted.

In that second half, Bryant Knaus and Jed Spaulding posted 15 and 11 points, respectively. 

For the game, Bryant Knaus led the Cubs with 25 points along with seven rebounds and four assists. Also pacing the Cubs, Jed Spaulding nearly recorded a -double-double performance with 15 points and eight rebounds along with three assists, and Mortenson posted 12 points along with four assists, four rebounds, and three steals.

With the win, the Cubs improved to 10-5 overall, and 8-1 in Central Minnesota Conference play.

Next action

After hosting Milaca on Feb. 3, the Cub boys hit the road to play Maple Lake on Thursday, Feb. 6, and then end the week with back-to-back home games: versus Long Prairie-Grey Eagle on Friday, Feb. 7, and Swanville on Saturday, Feb. 8.