With the clock winding down and his star players sitting comfortably on the bench, St. Croix Lutheran coach Jay Wendland couldn’t help but let out a giddy grin.

His Crusaders, ranked second in Class 2A by Minnesota Basketball News, watched the clock strike zero, bringing to a close a 83-60 home victory over No. 6-3A Waseca on Tuesday night.

In a statement game, his team spoke loud and clear, not only defeating the previously undefeated Bluejays, but doing so in style — with three-pointers galore and high-flying dunks.

Of course, as is common with coaches, Wendland is never truly content.

“We ended up leaving this game knowing we have a lot to work on,” Wendland said. “Especially with our ball security. Defensively, I felt our communication was poor tonight.”

Stopping Waseca star Nick Dufault was the Crusaders' main defensive focus. The senior, whom Wendland and his team had seen score as many as 44 points in a game this year, broke his school’s all-time scoring record last week against Blue Earth Area.

“I know one thing,” St. Croix Lutheran senior Aage Rovney said. “He can shoot. You let him get hot and it’s going to be a long night. We just tried to make things difficult for him.”

The Crusaders did just that. Dufault missed his first four shots and scored just six points in the first half. He finished the game with 19 points, but most came with his team trailing by over 30 in the second half.

With the prominence of Amateur Athletic Union and other traveling basketball leagues, it’s not uncommon for opponents to know each other. Dufault and Rovney’s relationship, however, spans generations.

Rovney’s father played at Waseca High School with Dufault’s dad and his uncle, Bluejays coach Todd Dufault.

The kids have known each other since middle school, playing as teammates and as foes in the AAU circuit.

They’re both guards. They’re both lefties. Both families hail from Waseca. Tuesday night, however, only one would leave the St. Croix Lutheran gym a victor.

As humble as Rovney tried to act about a 23-point win over a longtime rival, he couldn't keep that youthful glee and sheer joy bottled up inside.

“I gotta say,” Rovney said with a smile even wider than his coach’s. “It feels good. Really good.”

Rovney finished the night with 22 points, 12 of which came from behind the arc.

Wendland said he never wants his teams to live or die by the three-pointer. Tuesday night, the Crusaders may not have lived by it, but they certainly thrived from it, scoring 24 points from behind the three-point arc.

Getting in on the scoring-from-deep party was guard Ade Murkey. The athletic senior hit one three-pointer, but his monster dunks were truly the night's highlight.

He caught a pass off the opening tip, leaped through the air and slammed the ball down with force on a helpless Waseca opponent. The home crowd went nuts.

Game on.

“We try to get that play (every game),” Murkey said. “It never really happens. Today was just the day.”

It was just the right day for St. Croix Lutheran, which led by as many as 34 points in the second half and shut down one of the state’s top shooters in the rout.

It was the day a posterizing dunk started the game and a coach’s grin finished it.

St. Croix Lutheran had no trouble downing previously undefeated Waseca 83-60 at home Tuesday night.

The Bluejays, ranked No. 6 in 3A by Minnesota Basketball News, were unable to defend crucial perimeter shots and struggled to gain any offensive momentum throughout the night.

From the opening tip, the No. 2-2A Crusaders carried the momentum, beginning the game with a high-flying slam dunk from senior Ade Murkey, who finished the night with a game-high 23 points.

St. Croix Lutheran built on its early lead with some stellar shooting, and the Crusaders took a 47-28 lead into halftime after draining 16 of their 24 first-half field goals. 

Murkey had 12 points in the first half, missing just one field goal.

Entering the game, St. Croix Lutheran looked to shut down Waseca star Nick Dufault, a high-scoring, sharpshooter. It worked. The senior had trouble in the first half, shooting 3-for-9 for six points. He scored 13 second-half points to finish with 19.  

A 21-4 Crusaders' run to start the second half extended their already safe lead, giving St. Croix Lutheran a comfy 36-point bubble.

Crusaders senior Aage Rovney hit two three-pointers in the final 18 minutes and finished the night with 22 points.

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