ALBERT LEA — Rochester John Marshall fell behind early and spent the night playing catch-up in an 83-77 loss to Albert Lea Saturday in a Big Nine Conference boys basketball game.
JM lost for the fourth time in its last five games and dropped to 4-12 overall and 3-7 in the conference. Albert Lea snapped a three-game losing skid and is 4-11, 3-6 in the Big NIne.
"We just started out slow we never got going," said JM coach Richard Cain. "We can't give up 80-plus points in a basketball game and expect to win."
Junior guard John Mattison scored 20 points and junior forward Aaron Grad added 16 to lead the Rockets. For Albert Lea, senior center Kyle Ooms scored 23, and sophomore guard Tyler Vandenheuvel added 18. The Tigers outscored JM by 10 at the free throw line.
JM has two games later in the week, Thursday at Mankato West, and Friday at home against Mankato East.
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Albert Lea 83, John Marshall 77
JOHN MARSHALL (77)
Aaron Grad 16, Christian Hermansen 3, Riley Amy 9, Deonte Moore 5, John Mattison 20, Kadri Plott 2, Kyle Gossman 0, Kyle Dahlstrom 10, Ngor Barnaba 12.
ALBERT LEA (83)
Evan Templeman 2, Tyler Vandenheuvel 18, Dylan See-rockers 16, Luke Ellis 0, Tyler Wichmann 18, Kyle Ooms 23, Miles Erdman 0, Cody Scherff 6.
Halftime: AL 35, JM 26.
Free throws: JM 11-12, AL 21-33.
Three-point goals: JM 4 (Amy 3, Hermansen 1), AL 6 (Wichmann 4, Vandenheuvel 2).
