MEDFORD BOYS BASKETBALL - Tigers Turn game with surge bridging the halves, beat Medford

MEDFORD BOYS BASKETBALL

The Medford Raiders improved in some areas, but turnovers again were their downfall in allowing an eight-point firsthalf lead to get away in a 54-44 loss to New Richmond Monday in day one of the River Falls Holiday Classic.

Led by Charlie Gierl's six first-half 3pointers, Medford took a 30-27 lead into halftime, but the Tigers came out of the break and hit the Raiders with a 13-2 run to go up 40-32 and they led the rest of the way.

Medford dropped its fourth straight game to fall to 3-4 overall. New Richmond improved to 3-5.

Medford met host River Falls (4-2) Tuesday afternoon in the final game of the six-game, six-team event, after this week's early holiday deadline for The Star News.

Head coach Ryan Brown said there were some things to like about the Raiders' effort. Defensively, holding the Tigers to 54 points, especially considering the Tigers got about a dozen points off turnovers, was a positive. He said the team noticeably put an effort into rebounding against a team that had more size and strength down low.

But a good chunk of Medford's 20 turnovers occurred during the stretch where New Richmond turned the game around and that's the bugaboo Brown said the Raiders have to continue to work on as they head into a busy month of January.

Gierl's 3-point spree in the first half and a good first 12 minutes of ball movement and half-court offensive execution put Medford in control early. Gierl's first 3 tied the game at 7-7 and Hayden Koester followed with two free throws at the 12:06 mark. Down 10-9, Gierl shot Medford into an 18-10 lead by knocking down three straight triples, all coming from the top of the key area. Peyton Ried's rebound bucket made it 20-12, but then New Richmond flipped the script.

It started with a 3-pointer from Abraham Monson that was answered by a basket in the paint from Koester, making it 22-15. Gierl's fifth 3 made it 25-19, but Connor Raleigh, Gavin Tarras and Trevor Solland got consecutive baskets straight off Medford turnovers to tie it. Gierl sank his last 3 and Devin Dassow scored late off a baseline inbound to keep Medford in front at the half.

But that didn't last long as Monson, Raleigh and RJ Amundson scored for New Richmond right out of the break and the Tigers' up-tight man-to-man defense made a concerted effort to contain Gierl. Koester's 3 got Medford within 40-35 and his inside score made it 43-37, but the Raiders got no closer with a 3-pointer from Aiden Eckert, a rebound basket by 6-5 Nick Stellrecht and another Stellrecht bucket off a Monson assist pushing the Tigers' lead into double digits at 50-39.

Gierl finished with 23 points to lead all scorers. Koester added 11 for Medford. But a third scorer never emerged. Nick Krause and Ried both scored four points each and Dassow finished with two. The Raiders did welcome the return of junior guard Will Daniels to the starting lineup. He had been out since breaking a bone in his hand during the first week of practice in November.

Raleigh was the only Tiger in double figures with 11 points, but four others scored eight as New Richmond beat Medford for the third time in the past season and a half.

After Tuesday's game with River Falls, Medford has the weekend off before getting into a game-filled January. It starts with three games in four days next week. Medford returns to Great Northern Conference play Tuesday at Antigo, hosts a solid La Crosse Central squad on Jan. 9 in non-conference play and then hosts Northland Pines Jan. 10 in a GNC matchup. All game times are 7:15 p.m.

MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS

Medford's Charlie Gierl goes to work in the post while defended by New Richmond's Nick Stellrecht early in Monday's 54-44 loss to the Tigers in River Falls. Gierl hit six first-half 3-pointers and scored 23 points to lead the Raiders.