Tigers use threes to down Winona

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With so many players competing at the varsity level for the first time, the Farmington boys basketball team may not have had a very clear idea of its own identity heading into the 2009-10 season.

But after two straight wins to start the regular season — including Thursday night’s 80-54 rout over Winona, the eight-ranked team in Class AAA — the Tigers could be starting to see just how good they can be.

One of the team’s three returning letter-winners, senior guard Kyle Winkelman, led the way in the lopsided affair with a career-high 25 points. He knocked down four of the team’s nine three-pointers and the Tigers shot a sizzling 55 percent from the floor in avenging last year’s one-point loss to Winona in the section tournament. The Winhawks were without 6-foot-11 post player Alec Brown, who scored 26 points in that game.

“Overall, we played a very good basketball game,” Farmington coach Shane Wyandt said. “Our shooting was excellent and they really struggled from the floor. I was very impressed with our intensity on both ends and our passing was very good.”

The Tigers closed the first half with a 9-2 run, capped off by a drive and lay-up by Winkelman that stretched the lead to 37-22. Winkelman was joined in double figures by senior Justin Lavey, who followed up a career-high 24 points against Rochester John Marshall with 18 points and four assists, and senior Mike Jolliff, who scored 11 points and handed out five assists.

Connor Duffy had eight points and eight rebounds, Kyle Hinrichsen scored six points and swiped three steals and Alex Michels scored six points, grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds and blocked six shots.

The Tigers continued their pre-conference schedule this week with a Tuesday road trip south to take on Rochester Century. They play again Friday night at Spring Lake Park. The team has road games in Rochester and Hastings next week before returning home to face North St. Paul on Jan. 5.

Tags: boys basketball, sports