Lyle/Pacelli Athletics boys basketball team downs Legacy Christian Academy 74-61 Saturday

The Lyle/Pacelli Athletics boys basketball team, the No. 12 team in the state in the latest Class A rankings from the Minnesota Basketball News faced a stern test Saturday as they tangled with the Legacy Christian Academy Lions, based in Andover and ranked No. 10 in the state in Class A at the Southern Minnesota Hoops Fest at Hayfield High School.  The Athletics were more than up to the challenge as senior guard Buay Koak erupted for 38 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, three steals and four blocked shots to help lead the Athletics to their signature win thus far this season by a score of 74-61.

LP jumped out to a 10-4 lead to start the game, and later tied at 18, the Athletics ended the first half on a 21-7 run to lead 39-25 at the halftime break.  Legacy Christian tallied the first basket of the second half to cut the lead to 12 at 39-27, but they would get no closer as Lyle/Pacelli attempted 24 more field goals from 2-point range (53-29) and sank 27 of them to 13 for the Lions, and the Athletics wound up shooting 45.6% from the field overall for the game compared to only 36.2% for the Lions.

Besides Koak’s double-double, senior guard Jake Truckenmiller was also in double figures in scoring with 13 points, plus he added three assists and a team-high five steals, Trey Anderson tallied nine points, six rebounds and two assists, Mac Nelson chipped in six points, six rebounds and two assists, and Hunter Bauer and Landon Meyer each scored four points, with Bauer adding five rebounds, one assist, one steal and two blocked shots, and Meyer pulled in six rebounds as the Athletics dominated on the boards in the win to the tune of 38-25.

With the win, Lyle/Pacelli is now 8-2 on the season, and the Athletics return to action Tuesday night in Glenville versus Glenville/Emmons in a Southeast Conference tilt, with varsity tip-off scheduled for 7:15 p.m.