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Eagles defeat LCWM

Staff photo by Steve Muscatello New Ulm’s Reece Melby (25) takes a shot over a Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial defender during the first half Thursday at New Ulm High School.

NEW ULM — With his first basket of the night on Thursday against Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial, Reece Melby became New Ulm High School’s all-time leading scorer in boys’ basketball, passing Connor Foley’s previous career mark of 1,359 points.

Melby also ended the night with a game-high 35 points, leading the Eagles (7-16) to a 70-42 win over LCWM (4-20) in nonconference basketball action.

Melby’s history-making basket, a mid-range jumper, led to the horn sounding and a celebration on the court with teammates as the achievement was announced to fans in attendance. He now stands at 1,393 career points.

Melby missed his first two shots of the night, but he drained his third shot and finished the rest of the game as the top scorer on the floor, finishing with six total 3-pointers.

He needed just 2 points to set the record, and while he said he was initially nervous to start the game, he trusted his teammates would find him for open looks.

“I was super nervous at the beginning of the game, but my teammates do a good job of getting me the ball, getting me open looks,” Melby said. “So it just helped me with confidence and I knew they were going to get me the ball.”

Melby also complimented his former teammate Foley and said that he just wanted to be someone younger kids could look up to.

“The guy before me, Connor Foley, was a really good teammate of mine,” he said. “He’s a really good role model, I just want to be a good role model to younger kids.”

The Eagles were on fire from beyond the arc early in the game, with a 3 each by Melby and Hunter Sehr putting New Ulm up 14-4. A 3 by Isaiah Miller, New Ulm’s 10th 3 of the half, followed by a bucket inside by Melby gave the Eagles their largest lead of the night at 36-18.

New Ulm led 37-20 at halftime.

Melby drained another 3 to open the second half and put New Ulm up 40-20 before a layup by Miller gave New Ulm a 42-20 advantage. LCWM climbed back to trail 44-29 after a 9-2 run, prompting Eagles head coach Matt Dennis to burn a timeout.

The Eagles responded with a quick 7-0 run out of the timeout to lead 51-29.

A 3 by Sam Furth off the bench late in the game gave New Ulm its 14th 3 of the night, while a pair of free throws by Sehr moments later gave the Eagles their largest lead of the night, 70-39.

Miller finished the night with 12 points, while Sehr chipped in 8.

The Knights were led by Landon Lantz’s 17 points.

The Eagles finish their regular season on Thursday night as they host Jackson County Central.

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