Notables -Jake Naslund (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS) scored the game winning 3-point basket with just one second to go-There were three ties and eight lead changes in tonight's contest-St. Scholastica's bench outscored the bench of Crossraods 37-19 and had three players score in double figures
ROCHESTER, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's basketball team defeated Crossroads College by a final score of 67-65 Friday night behind the heroics of
Jake Naslund (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS), who sunk the game winning shot with just one second to go in the game.
It was a back and forth effort by both teams all throughout the game. Each team would counter the opponents scoring runs with runs of their own to keep the game tight. CSS managed to build up an eight point lead at 15-7 with 11:22 to go in the first half, but it was quickly countered by Crossroads who answered with a 13-5 run of their own to tie the score at 20 at the 5:11 mark in the half.
After the 13-5 Crossroads run, CSS would answer by building up a 10 point lead this time embarking on a 12-2 run highlighted by two
Tyler Rosenberger (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake HS) 3-pointers to put the Saints out front at 32-22 with 3:06 remaining in the half.
That 10 point lead would prove to be the largest the Saints would build throughout the rest of the game as Crossroads put a small dent in the lead in the last three minutes of the half setting the halftime score at CSS 34 Crossroads 26.
CSS saw their lead quickly evaporate as Crossroads scored the first 11 points of the second half to go up 37-34 just 4:37 into the period.
Crossroads would hold that lead throughout most of the second half building it as high as eight points with 12:58 to go in the game.
CSS would counter, as the theme of the game seemed to be, and again take an eight point lead highlighted by a Naslund 3-point shot with just 5:55 to go.
Crossroads would claw back into the game tying it at 64-64 with 1:42 remaining.
After a going one of two from the free throw line, Crossroads took the lead at 65-64 with 1:31 left in the game and forced CSS to begin fouling Crossroads to conserve time.
With just 18 seconds left Crossroads was again at the free throw line in a 1-and-1 opportunity. Crossroads would miss the front end of the 1-and-1 but get the offensive rebound. However, Crossroads would cough up the ball with seven second left leaving one last chance for CSS.
After subs were made, St. Scholastica was down to its last chance to win the game. As fortune would have it, the ball found its way into Naslund's hands. Naslund shot up the ball with just a few second left on the clock, and as the clock struck one Naslund's shot found the bottom of the net and CSS emerged with a last second win over Crossroads 67-65.
Naslund would finish the game with just six points on the two 3-point shots including the all-important game winner.
LaMonte Hall (Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle HS (Saint Mary’s)) led the Saints in scoring totaling 16 points off the bench.
Andrew Laughlin (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Central HS) and
Mike Spoden (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids HS) also scored in double figures off the bench for CSS scoring 11 and 10 points respectively.
CSS (3-4, 0-0 UMAC) will next play Saturday December 13, 2014 as they take on Finlandia in Hancock, Michigan with that game set to tip off at 4 p.m. (ET). You can catch that game and all exciting Saints action live at Saints Sports Net.
