Thrilling Comeback: Blackhawks Triumph Over Indians in Exciting Showdown

Staff photo by Ari Selvey. Hayden Jones of Madelia makes an impressive dunk during a game against Sleepy Eye.

MANKATO — In a thrilling crossover boys basketball game, the Madelia Blackhawks came back to defeat Sleepy Eye 76-72. The game took place at Bethany Lutheran College. Madelia was trailing 55-42 in the second half but turned it around with strong shooting and solid defense.

“Coach VanHee reminded us to take it one possession at a time, and that’s what we did,” said Hayden Jones. “We focused on our defense, then went for good shots. We kept pushing and created energy by forcing turnovers.”

Coach Jeff VanHee stressed the importance of this approach throughout the season. “We had to focus on getting stops,” he explained. “Our motto has been to win one possession at a time. If we compete hard for each possession, we can succeed.”

Jones led the way for the Blackhawks with an impressive 28 points, including eight 3-pointers, and added five assists. Kaydon Firchau contributed 21 points and eight assists, while Josiah DeMaris chipped in with 16 points. As a team, they made a remarkable 16 three-pointers.

“It really keeps our opponents on their toes,” Jones noted. “Even when we struggle down low, we’ve got players who can hit big shots from outside.”

For Sleepy Eye, Landon Wendinger was a standout, scoring 25 points and grabbing 18 rebounds while blocking seven shots. Brayden Hederscheidt added 19 points and eight assists, with Eric Lozano and Robert Romberg contributing 13 points each.

The game started with Sleepy Eye taking an early lead at 7-3 after a Wendinger layup. The teams played close, exchanging points without a clear lead until a timeout saw Madelia ahead 24-22. Wendinger nailed a dunk to bring Sleepy Eye back, ending the half tied at 37 after a layup from Tate Becker.

In the second half, Sleepy Eye surged ahead, leading by 15 points at one point. But Jones sparked the Madelia offense with a crucial 3-pointer. The Blackhawks then surged, completing a 13-0 run to take control. They eventually sealed their comeback victory with a three-pointer from Firchau.

This comeback showcased Madelia’s resilience and teamwork, solidifying their strength in the highly competitive Tomahawk-Valley Conference.