By Jake Schroer
Crow River News Sports
The STMA boys’ basketball team continued its slow start with a pair of single-digit losses.
Friday’s game against Spring Lake Park was a physical contest in which neither team shot the ball well. The Knights did hold the lead for a while and went into halftime up 22-20.
Tyler Hoselton scored 16 points to lead the Knights, who played another close game, but scored just 19 points in the second half.
STMA had a chance late to take the lead, but the Panthers denied the Knights defensively and sank a pair of free throws. The Knights had one more heave, but it did not find the mark and STMA fell 44-41.
Head coach Derek Johnson said that the game was a clean one, which made it go by in quick fashion. Johnson singled out Hoselton as someone who has stepped up for the team.
“I thought he had really good pace, he had really good rhythm tonight, and he was able to hit a few jump shots,” Johnson said.
Jeremy Moran had nine points.
MOORHEAD
The Knights boys traveled to Moorhead on Saturday, still looking for that elusive first victory.
Tyler Hoselton led the Knights again with 22 points, but this game got off to a bad start for STMA as they fell down by ten points 31-21 at the half.
Xavier Thurman emerged as another scoring threat alongside Hoselton with 11 points, and the Knights rallied, but lost another close game 58-56. STMA fell to 0-4 on the young season with the loss.
The Knights played Big Lake (2-5) on Tuesday in their only game of the week. The team has Wayzata (3-3) on the horizon Dec. 22.