The Luverne boys’ basketball team stormed into the semifinals of the South Section 3AA Tournament by routing St. James during a quarterfinal-round game in Luverne Saturday.
The third-seeded Cardinals limited No. 6 St. James to six first-half points and outscored the Saints 47-34 in the second half to secure a 74-40 victory.
The win, which was Luverne’s first postseason conquest since 2015, sends the 12-13 Cardinals to Thursday’s semifinals against Fairmont at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Windom.
Two extended runs lifted the Cardinals to a 27-6 halftime advantage.
Trailing 3-2 early in the contest, LHS reeled off 11 consecutive points to gain a 13-3 advantage when Isaiah Bartels converted a three-point play at the 11:33 mark of the first half.
The score remained the same until the Saints hit a three-point shot with 6:47 remaining, but the Cards closed the half with a 14-0 run capped by Bartels sinking a pair of charity shots with nine seconds left.
St. James was unable to challenge the Cardinals in the second half.
LHS scored the first four points of the stanza to open a 31-6 cushion before St. James trimmed the difference to 19 (40-21) left in the game.
The Cards countered with a 29-12 run ending with LaShad Smith converting a layup to give LHS a 69-33 advantage before settling with a 34-point victory at game’s end.
Bartels (20 points and five rebounds), Gannon Ahrendt (13 points and 8 rebounds) and Matt Sehr (five rebounds) led LHS statistically.
Box score
McLaughlin 2 0 0-0 4, Cowell 3 0 0-1 6, DeBates 0 0 0-0 0, Sehr 4 0 0-0 8, Bartels 6 0 8-10 20, Ahrendt 4 1 2-2 13, Feit 1 1 0-0 5, DeSollar 2 1 0-0 7, Smith 1 0 0-0 2, Jarchow 0 0 0-0 0, Rops 3 0 0-1 6, Dohlmann 0 0 0-0 0, Beyer 1 0 1-1 3.
Team statistics
Luverne: 30 of 56 field goals (54 percent), 11 of 16 free throws (69 percent), 30 rebounds.
St. James: 15 field goals made, four of six free throws (67 percent).