By Kevin Cederstrom
The New York Mills boys basketball team picked up their first win of the season Tuesday night, edging Battle Lake on the road, 68-65.
Alex Helmeke led New York Mills with 19 points and Mike Baune added 15 for the Eagles.
It was another hard-luck loss for the Battlers, as they dropped a one-point game to Osakis in their season opener. Hunter Haarstad led Battle Lake with 20 points. He was joined in double digits by Burgee Boyum with 17 and Taylor Frank with 10 points.
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Eagles fall in opener
For every New York Mills run Norman County East came back with just a little better one Monday at the Sports Center. Despite putting together small rallies, NY Mills couldn't make up the difference as NCE answered every run with one of its own, spoiling the Eagles season opener to win 71-62.
NY Mills didn't hold a lead the entire game. After the NCE Eagles took an early 5-point lead the home Eagles' Erik Peeters hit back-to-back scores including one 3-pointer to tie the game at 11-11. Another Peeters 3-pointer later in the first half tied the score at 18-18. NCE led by six when a Mike Baune 3-pointer and Peeters score got Mills to within one point. NCE quickly opened its lead to 11 after a 10-0 scoring run. Alex Helmeke ended the scoring drought for Mills when he put one in with 2:30 remaining in the first half to start a 9-0 run for the home Eagles. The rally was capped off by Baune's 3-pointer at the buzzer. He was fouled on the play and hit his free throw to complete the rare 4-point play.
An energized Mills team went into the locker room trailing 36-34 at the half.
Baune started the second half where he left the first - on the free throw line - after NCE scored five unanswered points. The 6-foot junior guard was fouled on a 3-pointer attempt and converted all three free throws to tie the game at 39-39.
Erik Peeters led Mills with 22 points. Mike Buane added 21 with Helmeke putting in 12.
The Eagles will be home again tonight (Dec. 13) against Bertha-Hewitt. Mills has lost 12-straight against the Bears (0-0, 0-0 Park Region) dating back to the 2001-2002 season. B-H is the defending Park Region champs, posting a perfect 12-0 conference record last season, going 25-2 overall and advancing to the State Class A quarterfinals. They are No. 9 in the current Class A poll.
NY Mills will have eight days after the B-H game to prepare for their Holiday Tournament on Dec. 21-22.
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Pre-season rank
The Eagle boys are ranked No. 15 in Class A by Minnesota Basketball News in the pre-season Minnesota Boys Class A Basketball rankings for the 2007-2008 season. Minnesota Basketball News annually ranks the Top 20 teams in each class along with the Top 25 over-all in Minnesota, plus rankings for teams in each section of the state. The Top 100 Players in Minnesota are also listed along with profiles of each team with individual player information, including height, position, grade and stats from last season.
Monday, December 10
Norman County East 71, NYM 62
Eagles--Erik Peeters, 22 (three 3-pointers); Mike Baune, 21 (two 3-pointers); Alex Helmeke, 12 (one 3-pointer); Shaun Van Dyke, 5; Joe Hendrickx, 2
NCE--Ryan Lampton, 37; Tyler Bennefeld, 14; Taylor Bennefeld, 8; Alex Sather, 5; Alex Ihringer, 4; Ethan Opshal, 3.
Tuesday, December 11
New York Mills 68, Battle Lake 65
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Park Region Conf. All
Bertha-Hewitt 0-0 2-0
Sebeka 0-0 1-0
New York Mills 0-0 1-1
Menahga 0-0 1-1
Henning 0-0 1-1
Verndale 0-0 1-2
Pillager 0-0 0-1
