Bethlehem Academy Boys Basketball Defeats Blooming Prairie

The Faribault Bethlehem Academy Cardinals opened their season with a 21 point loss at Blooming Prairie.  Saturday they returned the favor with a 70-49 win over the Awesome Blossoms at Van Orsow Auditorium.

It was not the prettiest of games in terms of passes and handling the ball.  The Cardinals committed 27 turnovers, Blooming  Prairie 22 miscues.

The reason for the BA win in my opinion was their defense.  They did a masterful job against senior Drew Kittleson who scored 19 points in a hard fought loss to Kenyon-Wanamingo Thursday night in the Knight's Castle.

Kittleson finished the game with 9 points after scoring the first two baskets of the game.  He is a fun player to watch because he is relentless on the glass, just plays hard.  The Cardinals did a terrific job of boxing him out.

6'6 Eliot Smith did not score for BA but had some blocks, rebounds and was one of the guys who concentrated on keeping the athletic Kittleson away from the ball.

It was the second straight win for the Cardinals.  The 4th straight loss for Blooming Prairie.

6'1 junior Brady Strodtman led Bethlehem Academy with 18 points.  Like Kittleson Strodtman plays full throttle all the time on both ends of the floor.

The Cardinals have found themselves another scorer.  6'3 junior Justin Simones came off the bench to provide 16 points.  All in the paint, soft kisses of the ball off the backboard.  Against United Christian Academy (97-67 win) earlier in the week Simones did the same thing.  16 points all in the paint, finishing around the basket with bank shots.

5'9 senior Kade Robb and 6'0 senior Jarrett Malecha each had 11 points for BA.

Blooming Prairie managed one player in double figures.  Off the bench senior Chris Naatz scored 14 points.

The Awesome Blossoms were 11 of 27 from the free throw line while the Cardinals were 7 of 15.

The Cashwise Foods and Pharmacy of Owatonna Delivery of the Game went to Kade Robb for delivering some reverse layups in the contest.  Strodtman and Simones were our Malecha's Auto Body of Faribault Crunch Time Faribault players of the game.

Bethlehem Academy is now 1-6 in the Gopher Conferece, 2-7 overall.  Blooming Prairie is 2-6 in the league and 2-7 overall.

The Cardinals are scheduled to go to New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Tuesday while the Awesome Blossoms head to Medford the same night.

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