The MCC Rebel Boys Basketball team was on the road Monday night in their final game before Christmas. The Rebels played the Heron Lake Okabena Fulda Coyotes in a Red Rock Conference contest.
The Rebels were coming into the game off a loss to Southwest Christian while the Coyotes were riding a two game winning streak entering the game. The Rebels have been a slow starting team in games they win this season and that is what happened on Monday.
The Coyotes took it to the Rebels in the first half as MCC came out flat. The Coyotes got to the free throw line early, getting the Rebels into some early foul trouble. The Coyotes lost the lead when the Rebels got the ball to Wyatt Thompson and Aidan Swenson in the low post. Swenson scored 8 points in the first half while Thompson added 6.
The problem for the Rebels was they did not make a shot from the outside until the final two minutes of the half. Tayden Beerman and Tristan Behrands made a three point shot each. Bryce Nielsen would lead HLOF with 12 points in the first half but no other Coyote would score more than five points. The Coyotes led at the break 31 to 26.
The second half saw the Rebels dominate. MCC scored the first 10 points of the half, reclaiming the lead. MCC got the ball in the paint and scored at will. Aidan Swenson scored 13 second-half points and Wyatt Thompson scored 11. The Coyotes scored just 14 secondhalf points total. Bryce Nielsen scored 9 points to lead the Coyotes in the second half but no one else had more than one basket. The Rebels outscored the Coyotes 67 to 45 picking up their fourth win of the season.
The Rebels outshot the Coyotes 46% to 23%. The Rebels made 30 shots from the field while the Coyotes made 14 shots. The Rebels grabbed 40 rebounds compared to the Coyotes 32. Aidan Swenson scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for a double double. Wyatt Thompson finished with 17 points - 5 rebounds and 3 blocks. Tristan Behrends scored 7 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and had 6 steals. Nielsen finished the game with 21 points for the Coyotes and was the only player in double figures.
The Rebels will be back in action on Saturday when they play in Marshall against Minneota.
