MADELIA, MINN. — This was the second meeting with Mankato Loyola of Jeff Van Hee's ninth season as the boys' basketball coach of the Madelia Blackhawks.
"We've never beaten them," Van Hee said. "And I think it's four straight years that Loyola has knocked us out in the sub-sectional."
Paul Carpenter, Madelia's athletic director and Van Hee's predecessor as basketball coach, said: "When have we beaten Loyola? I can't remember it happening."
Thus it was explainable last Saturday night in Madelia's gym (circa 1958), when Ja'Sean Glover blocked a three-point attempt, retrieved the ball before midcourt, sped away and dunked at the final buzzer, that the Blackhawks bench erupted in jubilation.
That made the final 69-59, so it wasn't a game-winner, but when you haven't beaten a conference rival in forever … a closing dunk and exuberant celebration are permitted.
The losses have been as frequent as victories again this season for the Blackhawks, and they are expected to land at a No. 6 or 7 when the seeding is announced later this week for the rugged 11-team north subsection of Class 1A, Section 2.
Yet, this has been a wonderful winter to gather the family and head for the Madelia gym to enjoy the final evenings of hoops entertainment provided by Glover.
Ja'Sean came to town with his mother, Jacquisha, and sister, Ollieah, in the summer of 2014. He was entering the fifth grade and, by the middle of his seventh-grade year in the winter of 2016-17, he was a varsity starter.