Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm Cathedral’s Jevan Wilfahrt is fouled on a layup by Mayer Lutheran’s Marcus Johnson (44) on Tuesday in a Section 2A, North Subsection boys’ basketball playoff game at Cathedral High School.

NEW ULM — Sam Knowles’ clutch free-throw shooting was enough to help fourth-seeded New Ulm Cathedral come back to beat fifth-seeded Mayer Lutheran 64-59 on Tuesday night in a Section 2A, North Subsection boys’ basketball playoff game.

With Mayer Lutheran ahead 58-54 with 3:26 left to play, Isaac Miller drained a corner 3 to have the Greyhounds down 58-57. After the Crusaders added another point on a one-and-one free throw, Jevan Wilfahrt found Knowles in the paint for an and-one and a 60-59 lead with 1:06 left to play.

With Mayer Lutheran struggling to make shots late, Knowles grabbed key rebounds and was fouled each time he did, making four more bonus free throws late to give Cathedral a 64-59 lead on the way to the win.

“Sam Knowles has made big plays and winning plays the last two years for us at a consistent basis,” Greyhounds head coach Alan Woitas said. “And he went to the line and he was confident. He’s trusted the work he’s put in and he made [five] straight really big free throws.”

Knowles finished the game with 27 points and 17 rebounds, while Jevan Wilfahrt had 18 points and nine rebounds. Miller added 9 points, while David Wilfahrt had 8 points.

The Crusaders were led by Ty Hoese and Connor Olsen, who each had 21 points.

The Greyhounds got off to a slow start in the first half as the Crusaders knocked down four early 3s to help pull away with an 18-8 lead. David Wilfahrt then connected on the Greyhounds’ first 3 of the night before Jevan Wilfahrt got a steal for a layup to have Cathedral down 18-13.

The Crusaders got another bucket inside before the Greyhounds went on a 9-0 run to take the lead, with a corner 3 by Miller tying the game and a David Wilfahrt bucket in the paint giving the Greyhounds their first lead.

Jevan Wilfahrt’s hustle played a key role in the Greyhounds’ run as he had a big block on defense and stole a rebound that led to him sinking two shots at the free-throw line.

Knowles converted on a pair of late and-ones, one on a putback, to help the Greyhounds hold a 28-26 lead at halftime.

“I think our energy as a team, we were pretty locked in on the defensive end,” Woitas said. “[Mayer Lutheran] made a lot of shots tonight, too. They made runs and we always say, ‘Good teams make runs, great teams respond to runs.’ We responded to every run they made, we were able to make a shot, make a play, so I think all those factors contribute.”

The Greyhounds now move on to meet top-seeded Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s at 6 p.m. on Thursday in the Section 2A, North Subsection semifinals at St. Peter High School.