Staff photo by Steve Muscatello New Ulm’s Josh Wenninger takes a shot over Will Howard of Blue Earth Area during the first half Friday at NUHS.

NEW ULM — Blue Earth Area’s defense and strong second half was too much for the New Ulm boys’ basketball team to handle on Friday night in Big South Conference action as the Eagles fell 83-48 at New Ulm High School.

The Eagles (1-1, 1-1) battled and made tough shots in the first half to keep up with the Buccaneers (3-0, 2-0), but things got away in the second half as BEA continued to work the ball inside and limit New Ulm to shots outside the arc.

After the Eagles took the lead right out of the gate with a 3 by Charlie Osborne, the Bucs went on an 11-0 run to lead 11-3. After a steal and dunk by Cameron Anderson and an and-one by 6-5 Sam Keister, Josh Wenninger ended the 11-0 BEA run with a hopstep bucket inside.

New Ulm was down by as much as 14 in the first half and cut the deficit to 6 after that twice, once on a drive inside by Wenninger and once on a layup by Osborne, but BEA held a 40-32 lead at the half.

The Bucs began to pull away in the second half, with a pair of free throws by Braden Gudahl putting them up 61-39. After a basket by Wenninger and putback bucket by Connor Slette, the Eagles trailed 61-43, prompting a BEA timeout with 8:15 left to play.

Things didn’t get any easier for New Ulm after that timeout, however, as BEA closed the game out on a 22-5 run to lead to the final score.

Osborne led the Eagles with 15 points, while Wenninger had 13 points.

Gudahl led BEA with 15 points and Keister had 14 points. Anderson finished with 12 for the Bucs.

The Eagles return to their home floor to host Belle Plaine in nonconference action on Monday night.