MINNEAPOLIS -- Enough with the three-pointers already.
The Spring Grove girls basketball team saw its fill of three-pointers from the opposing team for a second straight day in losing 70-59 to Ada-Borup in the Class A State third-place game Saturday morning at Concordia University.
Ada-Borup made a remarkable 11-of-15 field goal attempts from three-point range. A day earlier in the semifinals, Maranatha Christian Academy made a 12 three-pointers against Spring Grove to set a new single-game state tournament record.
Just as in the first two games at the state tournament, Spring Grove had to play catch-up after falling behind early. Ada-Borup made six of its first seven three-point shots and jumped out to a 25-9 lead.
Spring Grove cut the gap to one at 48-47 in the second half but Ada-Borup responded with a 10-1 run to regain control.
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It was a sloppy game with the teams combining for 50 turnovers, 30 by Ada-Borup.
Spring Grove, coached by Russell Larson and Heath Olson, was at the state tournament for the first time and finished with a 28-5 record. The Lions had won 13 straight before the two consecutive losses at state.
Spring Grove had four seniors including multi-year starters Richell Mehus and Taylor Elton, and reserve players Michaela Neuzil and Cheyenne Moen.
Mehus finished as the program's all-time leading scorer with over 1,700 points. She wants to play college basketball but hasn't picked a school yet. Elton finished third on the all-time scoring list with around 1,200 points. She plans to attend West Point Military Academy.
"We had amazing seniors on this team so it's hard to see it end," said junior guard Randi Mehus, one of three underclassmen starters. "It was an amazing season, though."
