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The Luverne High School boys’ basketball team opened the 2022-23 season at home losing to Southwest Minnesota Christian 75-46 Thursday, Dec. 1.
The Cardinals started out slow and were not able to catch up in the contest where the LHS shots failed to fall and the Eagles were able to win the battles in the paint.
The Eagles led by 10 points in the first half with solid play inside, and they were able to outrebound Luverne both halves with 53 compared with Luverne’s 24.
For Luverne, Gavin DeBeer led with 17 points. Carter Sehr had 12 points, Gannon Ahrendt had 11 points and two blocked shots, and Riley Sneller scored six.
DeBeer led the Cardinals with six rebounds. Ja’Shon Winter had four, and Cowell, Sehr and Elijah Woodley contributed three rebounds each.
The Cardinals led in steals with 12 (Southwest had eight), and posted a free-throw percentage of 33 percent compared with the Eagles’ 25 percent.
But that wasn’t enough to offset Southwest Christian’s offensive pressure, and the Cardinals fell 75-46.
The Cardinals were scheduled to play the next two games on the road, meeting the Dutchmen in Edgerton Monday, Dec. 5, and the Arrows in Pipestone Friday, Dec. 9.