File photo by Steve Muscatello New Ulm’s Reece Melby takes a shot during a recent Eagles’ basketball game.

NEW ULM — For 35 minutes and 55 seconds of the game, the New Ulm boys’ basketball team led Redwood Valley.

But in the final 20 seconds of the game, New Ulm’s inability to grab a rebound and the Cardinals’ ability to get second and third shots led to a tie and eventually a last-second win for Redwood Valley.

Cole Woodford’s 3-pointer with 40 seconds left in the game — one of four tried in the final seconds — tied it at 56-56 and a conventional three-point basket from Mitch Irlbeck with five seconds left off of a New Ulm turnover gave Redwood Valley a 59-56 lead and a 3-point win at New Ulm High School.

Woodford paced Redwood Valley (6-5) with 17 points. Irlbeck added 13.

Reece Melby led the Eagles (7-7) with 18 points. Connor Foley ended with 13.

“We have to do a better job of rebounding,” Eagles coach Steve Foley said. “They shot five 3s in the final minute, 40 seconds and did not make one of them.”

But Woodford’s 3, one of the six 3s made in 26 attempts in the second half by the Cardinals, found the bottom of the net to knot the game.

“We reacted a little slow at the end of the game” Foley said. “We were tired — they were flying around and beat us to some lose balls.”

New Ulm started out like it was going to run the Cardinals out of the gym as it jumped to a 21-8 lead with just under 11 minutes left in the first half.

Melby led the assault as he hit three shots from beyond the arc before his fourth 3 made it 26-16.

“We rebounded well in the first nine minutes of the game,” Foley said. “We did not give them second shots. We rebounded well and we defended well.’

In the second half, Redwood defended Melby better as he scored just two points, those coming on a jumper that had New Ulm ahead 42-35.

“They started concentrating on him more,” Foley said. “He had some good looks. But the beauty of this team is that we have a balanced team in scoring.”

With Melby held down, Foley, who was held to two points in the first half, netted 11 in the second half. His free throw with 1:54 left in the game gave the Eagles a 56-53 lead before Woodford tied the score.