File photo by Ari Selvey Sleepy Eye St. Marys’ Kessler Severson goes for a layup during a Nov. 29, 2024, boys basketball game against United South Central at Sleepy Eye High School.

SLEEPY EYE — Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s defeated Sleepy Eye 70-57 on Monday in a Tomahawk-Valley Conference, Tomahawk Division boys basketball game.

The Knights had three players score in double figures. George Schwint had 22 points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists. Adam Steffensmeier added 20 points, four assists and two steals. Kessler Severson scored 15 points and had seven rebounds and three assists.

Landon Wendinger of the Indians scored 24 points and had 13 rebounds and four blocks. Brayden Heiderscheidt had 23 points, four assists and two steals.

“Our defense was good,” St. Mary’s head coach Judd Walter said. “It was our best complete defensive game.”

Walter noted that the Knights played with confidence, stuck to their game plan, kept the defensive pressure on the Indians and made some good shots which helped keep the momentum.

Sleepy Eye head coach Shane Heiderscheidt said his team needed to improve upon its defense.

The first half was battle on all fronts. It was physical under the basket, and both teams were diving on the floor for loose balls, with either a jump-ball call or the play would shift to the other end of the court.

It was a tight game early with Sleepy Eye leading for roughly one-quarter of the half. Romberg passed the ball to Eric Lozano, whose 3 gave the Indians their final lead of the game at 12-11.

St. Mary’s offense put together an 11-0 run when Brecken Hulke passed the ball to Schwint, who nailed a 3. Schwint followed that up with two more 3s which made it 30-16. Michael Balko added a layup to complete the run. Wendinger’s basket ended the run. St. Mary’s led 37-22 at halftime.

St. Mary’s continued its scoring during the second half. Tyler Mathiowetz lost possession of the ball but regained it and scored. Mathiowetz fed Hulke, who scored on a layup in the next St. Mary’s possession and the Knights held on.

St. Mary’s (5-7, 2-5) will play at Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop 4-5, 2-3) on Thursday. Sleepy Eye (6-7, 4-4) will host New Ulm Cathedral (4-6, 4-3) on Thursday.