Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm High School’s Ayden Jensen and Worthington’s Kaleb Knothe (33) chase down a loose ball during a Big South Conference boys basketball game Thursday night at NUHS.

NEW ULM — New Ulm boys head basketball coach Matt Dennis best summarized his team’s game against Worthington when he said it was a physical battle.

And you could throw in the word intense, too.

Colton Benson scored a game-high 31 points, with Nate Firle adding 18 and James Osborne 14 as New Ulm avenged an earlier 61-54 loss with a 69-63 win over the Trojans Thursday night in a Big South Conference game.

New Ulm improved to 14-4 overall and 9-1 in conference.

Jacari Swinea led Worthington (12-3, 7-1) with 18 points.

“We knew coming into the game that it was going to be a war on the floor,” Dennis. “And it certainly did not disappoint anyone here — they saw two very, very good basketball teams go right at it.”

It was a game that saw the Eagles only give up the lead once in the game at 37-36 early in the second half on a Mikele Walu basket.

The Trojans outscored New Ulm 11-3 out of the break to erase a 33-26 Eagles halftime lead and take that lead.

But Easton Clark canned a 3 that was followed by baskets from Benson and Firle for a 43-37 lead.

The Eagles, who play at Waseca Tuesday, increased their lead to 47-39 on two Osborne free throws and made it a 57-49 lead with just under five minutes left.

But Worthington cut the lead to 61-54 and inched even closer at 65-61 on a Walu 3 off an Eagles turnover with 34 seconds left in the game.

Turnovers played a part in the game for both teams.

“There is a bump waiting for you after every dribble for both teams,” Dennis said.

Two free throws from Osborne moved New Ulm to a 67-61 lead with 24 seconds left in the game.

Dennis said that the difference between the first meeting and this game was that his team was more mentally ready for the style of game that was played.

And it was a win that was important in the conference, and, more importantly, in Section 2AAA.

“This gives us a chance at the No. 2 or 3 seed,” Dennis said. “We were at the No. 4 seed based on the QRF [rankings]. But we need to take care of business every game out. It puts us in a better spot, but there is so much basketball to go.”