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Randolph senior Adrian Battles takes a 3-pointer at the start of the Rockets’ Senior Night against Bethlehem Academy. Alec Hamilton / Cannon Falls Beacon

Randolph Rocket boys basketball held off the Bethlehem Academy Cardinals 76-72 Friday night, Feb. 13, during the Rockets’ Senior Night. Randolph led 36-29 at halftime but the Cardinals slowly chipped away at the Rockets’ lead in the second half and tied the game multiple times in the final minutes. However, Randolph was able to hit just enough free throws down the end to hold off the BA comeback attempt.

The start of the game saw a flurry of 3-pointers by both teams as BA led 14-13 eight minutes in. The rest of the half was all Rockets though as they took a 23-17 lead with 7 minutes, 30 seconds left in the first half and then were up nine points with 4 minutes left before intermission. 

The two teams combined for 11 threes in the first half and 24 total for the game. Randolph senior Oren Alexander and sophomore Jaxson Nelsen each had four for the Rockets while Caden Dokkestol had seven made threes for the Cardinals and Owen Dotterwich added five threes. 

Bethlehem Academy managed to tie the game at 58 apiece with 8 minutes left in the game and from there it was back-and-forth, though BA was never able to grab a lead for any length of time. The Rockets took a 72-70 lead with under a minute left and were able to hold on from there. 

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Senior Jameson Exley brings the ball up the court on Senior Night for the Rockets. Alec Hamilton / Cannon Falls Beacon

Alexander led Randolph with a game-high 27 points including four made 3-pointers and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line. Nelsen added 20 points, including four threes, and was a perfect 6-for-6 on free throws. Senior Kyle Ford had to really work against BA’s size inside for his 10 points and sophomore Jaden Smith had nine points. Senior Adrian Battles and sophomore Jared Nybakke both added three points while senior Carson Lorenzen and junior Judah Barker both had two points. 

It was the only game last week for Randolph as they head into the final week of the regular season. The Rockets are 9-15 overall, 4-5 in the Gopher Conference-East and 1-6 in Section 1AA matchups. They sit in 14th in Section 1AA according to QRF out of 17 teams and are 10 points behind Pine Island, which is one spot ahead of Randolph. Plainview-Elgin-Millville is just a few points behind the Rockets and so is Rochester Lourdes.

Randolph travels to Jordan on Tuesday, Feb. 17, and then wraps up its regular season at home against Hayfield on Friday, Feb. 20.Â