Lyle/Pacelli Athletics boys basketball team downs Southland 57-53 in regular season finale

The Lyle/Pacelli Athletics boys basketball team played host to Southeast Conference West Division rival Southland in the regular season finale for both teams at All Saints Arena Friday night, and it was the Athletics rallying late in the second half to down the Rebels 57-53.

Southland led 29-21 in the first half before Lyle/Pacelli went on a 9-5 run to cut the Rebel lead to 34-30 at the half.  The Athletics then opened the second half on a 14-7 run to tie the game at 41-41, and a back-and-forth tussle then ensued between the two teams until the Rebels were able to work their way back in front by four points at 49-45, but it was the Athletics who had the last answer as they closed the game on a 12-4 run to rally for the win.

Landon Meyer and Isaac Nelsen both scored 14 points apiece to lead Lyle/Pacelli offensively Friday evening, with Meyer adding a team-high nine rebounds, two assists and one steal, Leland Hicks totaled nine points, three rebounds and a team-high three steals, Marshall Burma also scored nine points, Andrew Fredrick and Chase Bauer each tallied four points apiece, and Dylan Christianson scored three points in the win.

The Athletics finish the regular season with a 9-10 mark in the Southeast Conference, and 13-14 overall, while Southland finishes as West Division champion with a record of 17-3, and 20-5 overall.  Lyle/Pacelli will be the No. 12 seed in the Section 1A tournament, and they will be in Spring Valley to meet Southeast Conference rival and No. 5 seed Kingsland Thursday night at 7 p.m., and you’ll hear the game live on AM 1480 KAUS, with the pre-game show getting underway at 6:45 p.m. that evening.  Southland was seeded fifth in the tournament Saturday, and the Rebels will play host to either No. 13 Wabasha-Kellogg or No. 20 Rochester STEM Academy Thursday evening at 7 p.m., with the latter two teams meeting in a first round play-in game in Wabasha Monday evening.