Mondovi boys meet tough competition at holiday tourney
by Beth Kraft
The Mondovi boys basketball team battled stiff competition from its opponents at this year’s holiday tournament, hosted by La Crosse Aquinas, resulting in a pair of losses in non-conference play on Dec. 29 and 30.
First up for the Buffaloes was a Division 3 foe in Prairie du Chien, who doled out the defense to hold Mondovi to just nine points in the first half while scoring 26 of their own. The Buffaloes recovered somewhat in the second half of play, matching the Blackhawks’ offensive production more closely and outscoring them, 13-12, in the final quarter.
However, Mondovi’s first half deficit was too much to overcome, resulting in the 49-30 defeat.
Hayden Ford led the Buffaloes on the scoreboard with 15 points, including three triples and a 6-for-8 effort from the free throw line. Blake Purdy also chipped in with five points and led the rebounding effort with 10 boards.
Mondovi was back at it the next day, this time facing Division 2 Reedsburg, but the game played out in a relatively similar manner that didn’t work out in favor of the Buffs.
In the early going Mondovi matched Reedsburg’s offensive output stride for stride, resulting in tie game, 15-15, at the end of the first. That’s when Reedsburg upped the ante, holding Mondovi to just three points in the remainder of the half while building a 15-point lead, 33-18.
It was more of the same in the second half as the Beavers continued to dominate the offensive end with double-digit scoring in both the third and fourth quarters while locking down defensively to allow Mondovi 11 points total in the second half.
The Buffaloes were forced into 20 turnovers as a team for the game and shot just under 30 percent, numbers that contributed to the 65-29 loss.
Ford once again led Mondovi’s offensive drive, knocking down a trio of 3-pointers for nine of his 11 points. Jake Ede and Purdy also chipped in with seven and five points, respectively, while Cole Kamla grabbed a team-high five rebounds.
Sitting at an even 4-4 overall on the season, the Buffaloes resumed Dunn-St. Croix Conference play at Saint Croix Central on Tuesday, Jan. 6. Mondovi will also host Spring Valley this week on Friday, Jan. 9.
