Basketball Recap: Minden Takes a Loss

Minden was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. They were four points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 62-58 heartbreaker at the hands of the Elm Creek Buffaloes. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Whippets of the 53-47 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in December of 2023.

When it comes to explaining why Minden lost, don't look at Brett Eckhardt. Despite the final result, he dropped a double-double on 23 points and ten rebounds. With that strong performance, Eckhardt is now averaging an impressive 16 points per game. Another player making a difference was Luke Grollmes, who went 5 of 11 on his way to 13 points and five assists.

Elm Creek's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Quin Oberg, who went 8 of 17 on his way to 20 points and four steals. Oberg is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed four or more in the last three games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Kolten Keim, who posted nine points and four steals.

Minden's defeat dropped their record down to 2-4. As for Elm Creek, the win (which was their fifth in a row) raised their record to 5-1.

Minden will get a bit of extra time to process the loss as their next game is a ways off. They'll take on Beatrice at 6:30 p.m. on January 7, 2025. As for Elm Creek, they didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next contest, a 58-50 victory against Bertrand on the 20th.