Albany players celebrate their victory against Waseca in the Class 2A boys basketball championship game Saturday. (Aaron Lavinsky/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

After No. 1 Albany led for most of the first half of the Class 2A state championship, a burst of second-half scoring by Waseca sophomore guard Deron Russell meant that, suddenly, Albany was the one keeping up.

But keep up the Huskies did, and undefeated Albany beat the No. 2 seed Bluejays 70-63 and won the program’s second state title. Albany also won a state championship in 2023.

Brothers Damarius and Deron Russell nearly willed Waseca to its third state title, finding every way to score for the Bluejays. Damarius, a senior committed to Washington State for football, scored 22 points and had seven steals. Deron finished with a game-high 32 points.

But in the end, Albany’s All-Minnesota duo of senior guard Zeke Austin and senior forward Sam Hondl helped carry the Huskies across the finish line, while sophomore Elliott Burnett went 3-for-3 on three-pointers in the second half.

For more on the Huskies' victory, click here to read the story on startribune.com.

Class 2A bracket