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Finlandia takes lead into second half, falls to Lakers

Paul Peterson/For the Gazette Finlandia's Tyler Browner tries to get past Silver Lake College's Michael Cantre in Sunday's game at Paavo Nurmi Center. Silver Lake was an 82-73 victor.

HANCOCK — Free throws can often decide the outcome of a basketball game.

Take Sunday afternoon’s matchup between Silver Lake College and Finlandia University at the Paavo Nurmi Center.

The visiting Lakers converted 28-of-35 chances at the charity stripe, while Finlandia was just 13-of-26 there in an 82-73 loss.

“They made their free throws, we didn’t,” Lions coach Mike O’Donnell said, “That’s the game of basketball. Obviously, we have to get better there.”

The loss dropped the Lions to 0-10 on the season. Silver Lake improved to 3-13.

The locals looked good at times, but still struggled to find any consistency. In a back-and-forth opening half, Finlandia led a good portion.

Freshman forward Jaden Janke, who led the Blue and White with 23 points and 13 rebounds, had his team ahead at 37-35 at intermission.

Newcomer Jamal DeShields-Beard, playing his first game at Finlandia, also made a contribution with 13 points and five rebounds.

But the Wisconsin team opened the second half with a 7-0 run and never looked back.

Finlandia sliced the lead several times, the closest at 65-63 with six minutes left. But numerous missed free throws down the stretch doomed their hopes

Besides the work of Dollar Bay High product Janke and DeShields-Beard, the Lions received 11 points from freshman Joe Heinonen and 8 points and 7 boards from Austin Carlson.

Silver Lake was paced by Michael Cantre with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Corey Lloyd chipped in 15 points, while Thomas Bullock netted 13.

O’Donnell said his team is still learning how to win.

“We have to work at it and get better,” he said. “We’re a young team finding our way.”

The Lions will host St. Scholastica Wednesday evening.

SILVER LAKE — Bullock 14, Cantre 21, Lloyd 15, Dean 10; Hughes 8, Wells 12, Miller 2. FG: 25-63; FT: 28-35; Rebounds: 49 (Cantre 14); Fouls: 22; Fouled out: None; 3-point FG: Lloyd 3, Bullock 1.

FINLANDIA — Janke 23, Oom 5, Browner 5, Heinonen 11, Carlson 7. Woods 5, Shumate 5, DeShields-Beard 13. FG: 28-74; FT: 13-26; Rebounds: 46 (Janke 13); Fouls 26; Fouled out: Oom. 3-point FG: Oom 1, Janke 1, Heinonen 1 and DeShields-Beard 1.

Halftime score ; FU 37, SLC 35.

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