Basketball: Murray, Royals top Monticello 74-66 in Miss. 8 finale
Sam Spilles of Rogers scores in the first half against Buffalo. (Photo by Eric Jacobson)
By Bruce Strand
Elk River Star News
Sophomore center Cole Murray dominated the lanes as the Rogers Royals won their season final 74-66 over the Monticello Magic on Friday evening at Monticello.
Murray scored 29 points and snagged 11 rebounds, getting his points inside with 11 field
Gunnar Bloom drives for two of his 17 points in the loss to Buffalo. (Photo by Erik Jacobson)
goals. He would have been low 30s with a little better night at the line, where he was 7-for-13.
Rogers finished 4-6 in the Mississippi 8 for fourth place and will take a 10-16 record into Section 8AAAA. Rogers has the sixth seed and will play at No. 3 Moorhead (16-8).
Sam Spilles added 14 points and Cullen Loughlin 10 for the Royals.
Will Baumen sank 20 points for Monticello (0-10 conference, 6-20 overall).
In earlier action, the Royals took a 76-55 beating from hot-shooting conference co-leader Buffalo at home Feb. 26.
Buffalo sank 9 of 17 shots from 3-point range, including five of their first six. The Bison led 33-29 at halftime.
Gunnar Bloom had 17 points, four rebounds and two steals for Rogers (3-6 conference, 9-16 overall). Sam Spilles notched 12 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Ryan Gelle scored 10 points.
Rogers was 5-for-17 on three’s and 10-for-20 at the line.
Buffalo (18-7 overall) remained in a first-place tie with St. Michael-Albertville at 8-1 with one game left, against Big Lake.
