Staff photo by Steve Muscatello Minnesota Valley Lutheran’s Mason Cox (23) makes a layup after getting past Jack Nelson of Sleepy Eye Thursday at MVL.

NEW ULM — In a sense, Thursday night’s Minnesota Valley Lutheran and Sleepy Eye boys’ basketball game was just a basketball game.

But in reality, both teams were fighting for a good cause in the Chargers vs. Cancer fundraiser.

The Chargers defeated Sleepy Eye 89-35 in a Tomahawk Conference game, but basketball was a sidenote on Thursday.

Prior to the game, players from both teams were asked to give a flower to a cancer survivor who was sitting in the stands. One of those survivors was Becky Cox, the mother of MVL senior Mason Cox. She received her share of flowers and hugs from both MVL and Sleepy Eye players.

Mason Cox led all scorers with 26 points. He also had seven rebounds and three steals. For him, the game and event hit home and had a special meaning.

“Us and the MVL family, we’ve had some pretty close connections and people lost to cancer,” Mason Cox said. “I think everyone has. But playing for that cause, raising that money, it was a good atmosphere and everyone having close family members affected by that.”

Sleepy Eye junior Kegan Heiderscheidt led the Indians with 18 points, four rebounds and two assists. He was one of the players that went up to deliver a flower to Becky Cox prior to the game.

“It’s just a really good atmosphere and it’s for a good cause,” Heiderscheidt said. “I knew Mason and his mom very well for a couple of years now, it’s just really good to see this environment and just to have everyone come out and support everyone.”

Cox agreed that it was a fun-filled atmosphere.

“I’m really good friends with Kegan Heiderscheidt, when I saw him give the flower to my mom, I said, ‘Hey thanks’, and he said we’re all against this,” Cox said. “We compete during the game, but in the end, we’re all against cancer. We’re all raising awareness for it and we all know how serious it can be. It was amazing, touching seeing everyone go up there.”

The Chargers dominated from the start, jumping out to a 9-0 lead thanks to three baskets from Cox. The Indians made a brief comeback and trailed 18-9 on a basket from Logan Netzke.

Later, Jace Marotz completed a three-point play to put the Chargers ahead 29-11. Heiderscheidt hit a pair of baskets for the Indians to make it 39-21 in favor of the Chargers, and MVL led 45-21 at the break.

MVL’s lead grew in the second half as both teams turned to their benches. While basketball was still being played, both teams were having fun on the court.

“I’ve played baseball and with Mason and Jace for the past three years during summer,” Heiderscheidt said. “We’ve always been kind of close, even when we were younger we played together so it’s always good playing them.”

Marotz had a big game, finishing with 18 points. Dunwa Omot scored nine points and had six assists for the Chargers.

Netzke finished with 10 points for the Indians, who host New Ulm Cathedral on Monday.

The Chargers are at Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s on Friday.