Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook

Following are results of the games from the inaugural Border Battle, held today at Tartan High School in Oakdale, Minn. The Border Battle is co-sponsored by the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook and The Breakdown of Minnesota.

Division 4 Matchup
St. Bernard's of St. Paul, Minn. 73, Randolph 64

Marquette University recruit Trevor Mbakwe scored 28 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked three shots Saturday afternoon to lead Minnesota's top-ranked Division 4 school, St. Bernard's of St. Paul, Minn., to a victory over Wisconsin's top-ranked Division 4 school, Randolph. Mbakwe was named the MVP of the contest.

St. Bernard's (14-0) took a 34-29 lead at halftime before extending its lead in the second half behind the strong play of Mbakwe and seniors Chad Jones and Patrick Cassidy.

Mbakwe had several thunderous dunks for St. Bernard's, which had a difficult time breaking away from disciplined and well-coached Randolph, which fell 12-2 on the season.

Jones finished with 16 points and Cassidy added 14 as St. Bernard's beat a Wisconsin school for the third time this season after toppling Wauwatosa West and Marquette University High School in the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Shootout in December.

Randolph was led by senior Dan Tillema as the 6-4 Minnesota-Duluth recruit scored 23 points and knocked down a pair of three point baskets.

Junior Bryan Johnson added 14 points for Randolph, while freshman Kyle Kelm added 12 and sophomore Tyler Tillema 11.

St. Bernard's 73, Randolph 64

St. Bernard's (34-39 = 73)
Duncan 1, Morrissey 3, Cassidy 14, Davis 10, Jones 16, Mbakwe 28.

Randolph (29-35 = 64)
Tyler Tillema 11, Dan Tillema 22, Johnson 14, Biel 3, Kelm 12, Heitzman 2.

Division 3 Matchup
La Crosse Aquinas 93, Rockford, Minn., 68

Marquette University recruit Scott Christopherson scored 26 points, grabbed eight rebounds and handed out six assists as unbeaten and top-ranked Aquinas handled Rockford. Christopherson was named the MVP of the contest.

Christopherson made 9 of 18 shots from the floor and all six of his free throw attempts as Aquinas improved to 14-0.

The Blugolds also received a very strong performance from senior Luke Umberger, who finished with 21 points.

Aquinas took a 43-31 lead at intermission and slowly built on its lead in the second half as Wisconsin teams evened the Border Battle series with Minnesota at 1-1.

La Crosse Aquinas (43-50 = 93)
Morrissey 7, Fahey 12, Papke 14, Ruff 5, Rickaway 8, Christopherson 26, Umberger 21, Charles 2.

Rockford (31-37 = 69)
Maher 14, L. Mernin 7, Haugen 15, M. Mernin 13, Riedberger 2, Hanson 4, Luhmann 2, Dorrel 2, Nelson 4.


Division 2 Matchup
Seymour 73, Minneapolis Patrick Henry 66

Seymour senior Matt Hackl unleashed three consecutive three-point baskets in a decisive second-half flurry to lead the Thunder past Patrick Henry.

Hackl finished with 28 points and four three-pointers en route to be named MVP of the contest.

Seymour senior Marc Leisgang also turned in a very solid performance for the surging Thunder, scoring 24 points and knocking down five triples.

Senior Brandon Kuchta added 11 points as Seymour was able to handle the quickness and full-court press employed by Patrick Henry.

University of Minnesota recruit Al Nolen Jr., had 11 points for Patrick Henry, but struggled finding his shooting touch throughout the contest.

Seymour (38-35 = 73)
Braun 4, Cornelius 6, Kuchta 11, Hackl 28, Leisgang 24.

Patrick Henry (32-34 = 66)
Jackson 6, Saxon 5, Cox 3, Hughes 18, Sweezy 14, Mitchell 2, Nolen 11, Whitfield 7.

Division 1 Matchup
Minnetonka, Minn., 73, Madison Memorial 61

The Skippers of Minnetonka improved to 10-5 on the season with an impressive team performance against second-ranked Madison Memorial.

Four underclassmen scored in double figures for Minnetonka, led by MVP Andy Burns, a quick 6-0 point guard who finished with 18 points.

Junior Anthony Tucker had 16 for Minnetonka, including two huge three-point baskets late in the second half.

Jeronne Maymon led Memorial with 27 points, while 6-8 senior Keaton Nankivil finished with 23.

Nankivil left the game with just over two minutes left after sustaining a cut above his eye. He returned with 1:37 left, but was unable to help the Spartans overcome the Skippers.

The Border Battle is tied 2-2 heading into the final game of the night between host Tartan and Wisconsin Rapids.

Minnetonka (39-34 = 73)
Burns 18, Erickson 4, Latzke 16, Schilling 10, Udo 3, Tucker 16, Nelson 6.

Madison Memorial (28-33 = 61)
J. Maymon 27, Nankivil 23, Nelson 4, D. Maymon 2, Richgels 2, Ringhand 3.

Division 1 Matchup
Wisconsin Rapids 59, Oakdale, Minn., Tartan 44

Senior Vinny Ritchay scored 22 points as Wisconsin Rapids held off a late three-point barrage by Tartan to post a convincing victory and give Wisconsin a 3-2 edge in the first Wisconsin vs. Minnesota Border Battle.

Wisconsin Rapids took a 25-14 lead at intermission and maintained at least a six-point advantage the rest of the way in improving to 10-4 on the season.