ABOVE: Fairmont’s Oliver Tordsen draws contact while looking for a shot in the paint in a Big South Conference boys basketball game Friday night against Blue Earth in Fairmont.

FAIRMONT- The Fairmont Cardinals boys basketball team’s dominance in the paint propelled them to a 71-50 victory against the Blue Earth Area Buccaneers in the second Big South Conference meeting of the season between the two Friday night.

“First half, we just tried to hold on from Will’s [Bromeland] incredible shooting. Really the whole [BEA] team, they made nine 3s in the first half,” said Fairmont head coach Jared Thompson. “Will had 17 [points], he was incredible tonight, he can get hot like that. And then you’re just trying to get bodies in his way. We had guys close to him, he was just making tough shots. But offensively, we were really good. We only had one turnover in the first half. I think we ended with under five for the game.”

Leading the Cardinals was Oliver Tordsen with 22 points and eight rebounds, while Logan Junkermeier had 20 points and five rebounds. Hadan Toomer had 9 points and three rebounds, while Joseph Hackett had 9 points and two rebounds.

Leading the Buccaneers was Will Bromeland with 26 points and two rebounds, while Gage Barker had 8 points and two rebounds. Branson Hauskins had 6 points and two rebounds, while Sully Dahlberg had 6 points and a rebound.

The first half opened like it usually does for the Cardinals, finding Tordsen below the basket to tuck in an easy layup. The Buccaneers responded with a 3-pointer by Bromeland, but the Cardinals went on a 12-0 run fueled by Tordsen and Junkermeier to go up 14-3. Bromeland hit a shot from beyond the arc with 11:26 left on the clock for the Buccaneers’ sixth point through the first 8:30.

Recognizing that they were not having much success in the lane, the Buccaneers shifted into shooting from outside with Bromeland and Dahlberg, respectively, hitting a 3. The Buccaneers were able to pull ahead 27-26, but a Tordsen drive to the basket netted a layup and drew the foul immediately, completing the 3-point play. After that, Joseph Hackett hit a 3-pointer that put the Cards up 32-27. Back-to-back 3s by Barker tied the game 33-33. As the first-half clock hit zero, Toomer hit a shot from 25 feet away to secure a 36-33 lead for the Cardinals going into the half.

“Obviously, Hadan’s 25-foot 3 at the buzzer of the half was huge,” said Thompson. “It felt like they had all the momentum, he hits that, it gave us some positive juice going into halftime. And then the second half was just about as good a basketball as we can play. Gave up 17 points and just really put on a clinic offensively with a few turnovers. Big guys sharing the ball, guys hitting shots. Just kind of everybody played really well the second half.”

The Buccaneers quickly tied things up to open the second half, but a 6-0 run fueled by Tordsen and Junkermeier gave the Cardinals back the lead 44-36. Hauskins drained a shot from beyond the arc to reestablish the Buccaneers’ offense. Tordsen and Junkermeier continued to add to the Fairmont lead, with a Junkermeier layup putting the Cardinals up by 10, 51-41.

Two unanswered buckets by BEA seemed to get the offense going, but it was not enough to swing the momentum back in the Buccaneers’ favor. Schultze and Toomer both drained shots from long range that started a 16-0 run by the Cardinals to go up 70-46. The final basket by the Buccaneers was drained by Bromeland, but a free throw by Toomer would be the final point of the night.

Now 12-7 on the season and 8-6 in conference play, the Cardinals head to St. Peter for a 7:15 p.m. game on Tuesday. The Buccaneers sit at 8-11 on the season and 4-9 in conference play head to Martin County West for a 7 p.m. game Thursday.