DULUTH, Minn. -- St. Scholastica men's basketball battled throughout a physical non-conference matchup on Saturday night, but ultimately fell 83–74 to Bethany Lutheran College inside Reif Gymnasium.
After the first basket of the game,
toys rained down from the bleachers, as a benefit to kids in the local community this Christmas.
The Vikings carried a 33–26 lead into halftime, but the Saints responded with one of their strongest offensive halves of the season, scoring 48 points after the break. St. Scholastica shot efficiently in the second half and kept the contest within reach down the stretch, trading baskets as both teams looked to gain momentum.
Koy Nelson (Port Wing, WI/South Shore HS) led the way for the Saints with a game-high 23 points, connecting on 9-of-13 shots from the floor while adding four assists. Hayden Kloos (Chaska, MN/Holy Family HS) provided a strong all-around effort with 14 points and six rebounds, while the Saints' bench contributed 28 points, helping fuel the second-half push. St. Scholastica also forced 14 Bethany Lutheran turnovers and turned those into transition opportunities.
Bethany Lutheran was paced by Max Briggs, who finished with 31 points, including 16 from the free-throw line, as the Vikings went 29-for-40 at the stripe. Despite St. Scholastica closing the gap on multiple occasions in the second half, Bethany Lutheran answered with timely free throws to maintain the advantage.
The Saints fall to 4-6 overall, and are back in action on New Years Eve (Dec 31) at Crown College. Tip off in St. Bonifacius, MN is set for 2:00 p.m.
