Notables
- The Saints bench outscored the Knights bench by a score of 46-4
- St. Scholastica shot 41 percent from the three-point line, their best performance since Dec. 11
- Dylan Zimmerman (Elmdale, Minn./Upsala HS) scored his first collegiate points
- Jake Naslund (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS) scored 20+ points for the third time this season
DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's basketball team completed the weekend sweep after taking down the Martin Luther Knights Saturday at the Reif Gymnasium by a score of 95-71.
First Half
The game started just like the previous night for the Saints, finding themselves down early in the first half to a team below them in the conference standings. Martin Luther broke out to a 12-5 lead rather quickly, thanks in part to senior guard Todd Brassow, who scored the first two baskets of the game.
The teams would then trade baskets until Jake Naslund (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS) started to close the gap, knocking down back-to-back three-pointers to bring the Saints within one. Joe Stark (Hayward, Wis./Hayward HS) would get fouled on the next possession while attempting a three, and then proceeded to give the Saints their first lead after knocking down all three free throws. They would build onto their lead and head into the locker room with a lead of 46-35 after an Andrew Laughlin (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Central HS) tip-in with only a few seocnds to go.
Second Half
Brandon Newman (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS), who was in foul trouble for most of the first half, got the Saints bench on their feet right away in the second half. After forcing a Knights turnover, Newman outraced everyone down the court and threw down a thunderous one-handed slam to give the Saints the momentum they needed to try and close out the game.
The Knights didn't go away quietly hower, as Brassow and company tried their best to keep up with the fast paced tempo of the Saints offense. Brassow knocked down three straight shots for the Knights to bring them back within 11, but Naslund answered with six points of his own to put away any comeback the Knights were trying to make. Tony Adamczak (Moose Lake, Minn./Moose Lake HS) provided a spark off the bench as well for the Saints, knocking down two three-pointers in the second half to help the Saints increase their lead, and eventually win the game by a score of 95-71.
Top Performers
Martin Luther was led by Brassow, who recorded a team-high 24 points and 10 rebounds, earning a double-double. Also scoring double-digits was T.J.Babinec (20 points, 6-9 3FG) and Michael Paulsen (17 points).
St. Scholastica was led offensively by Naslund, who recorded a team-high 21 points and seven rebounds. Newman scored 15 points, and Julius Johnson (Minneapolis, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) (13 points, five assists) and Stark (12 points, seven rebounds) rounded out the double-digit scoring for the Saints.
Up Next
St. Scholastica will finish out their away games for the regular season next week as they travel to take on Finlandia University and Northland College before coming back home for five straight games at the Reif. They will play Finlandia on Friday with a 6:30 p.m. (ET) tip-off. Northland will be the next day with a 3 p.m. start.
