No. 6 Trojan cagers go to 5-0

The New Prague Trojan boys basketball team held off a tough Faribault Falcon squad Tuesday, Dec. 22, to go to 5-0 on the season. The Trojans are ranked No. 6 in Class AAA.

They were scheduled to play Winona and LaCrosse Logan at the Winona State Warrior Holiday Classic on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, after this edition of The Times went to press.

New Prague will return to action with a trio of home non-conference games next week, against Edina Tuesday, Jan. 5, Albert Lea Thursday, Jan. 7, and Jordan at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9.

The 54-49 win over Faribault didn't come easy. New Prague opened up with a barrage of three-pointers - five of their first six scores came from beyond the arc - but never led by more than three points in that stretch. The lead changed hands six times in the first half.

New Prague got the lead up to six points after Danny Geiger hit a pair of free throws and a basket, but the Falcons closed out the half with three-straight three-pointers, the last one giving them a 30-27 halftime lead.

New Prague scored the first five points of the second half and regained the lead, but it would change hands again several times. New Prague eventually built a six-point lead, but Faribault would score three straight baskets to tie the game at 49-49.

Cale Girten scored on a jumper to put the Trojans up by two and Alex Dittberner iced the game by making three of four free throws in the final minute.

Geiger led the Trojans with 18 points and added 12 rebounds. Dittberner scored 14. Also scoring for New Prague were Gerdes and Jake Meyer with 6 points each, Joe Hatch with 5, Jed Kreuser with 3 and Girten with 2.