FOLLOW-THROUGH — Martin County West’s Zach Anderson elevates and fires a jumper over Mankato Loyola’s Skyler Hill-Koenen (24) during Valley Conference basketball action Friday night in Trimont. The Crusaders’ Carter Zimmerman (23) watches the shot. (Photo by Greg Abel)

TRIMONT — Zach Anderson has been shooting free throws at the Trimont gymnasium since he was old enough to tag along with his dad — Martin County West head coach Cliff Anderson — to varsity basketball practice.

Zach Anderson, now a 6-foot-6 junior, calmly sank eight straight free throws — including a pair of one-and-one situations — during the final minute of regulation to seal the Class 1A No. 3-ranked Mavericks’ 50-43 Valley Conference basketball victory over the Class 1A No. 7-ranked Mankato Loyola Crusaders on Friday night.

“Ever since Zach was probably 4-years-old, every day he’s come to the gym with me and I’d send him to go shoot free throws in the corner,” said Cliff Anderson. “All those shots definitely paid dividends against a tough team like Loyola in a game where every point mattered.”

Zach Anderson, who produced game-high totals of 28 points and nine rebounds, converted critical one-and-one situations with 1:04 and 46 seconds remaining, respectively, to maintain the Mavericks’ six-point margin. Anderson later grabbed an offensive rebound and tossed in two charity tosses with 18 seconds to go for a 48-40 lead. He then iced the game by hitting two more free throws with 8 seconds remaining.

The Mavericks also got a boost of late adrenaline from Mitchell Weber’s return to the hardwood court after missing several minutes of the second half due to a bloody nose.

Trailing 36-35, Weber snapped the nets on a pull-up 3-pointer from just right of the top of the key to swing a two-point lead back to MCW. Weber drove the lane on the next possession and finger-rolled home a basket to put the home team in the driver’s seat with 3 minutes remaining in regulation. Weber finished the game with 10 points and a game-best four assists.

“Give credit to (assistant) coach (Jeff) Sinn for getting Mitch ready to get back on the court after suffering a bloody nose,” said Cliff Anderson. “We pinched it, plugged it and it just didn’t want to stop bleeding right away.

“Once Mitch returned, he hit the 3 and got us to the rim on the next time downcourt to put us back up for good. That was pivotal.”

Tanner Sinn then cashed in Cash Owens’ perfectly-timed lob pass to the low post for a banked-in cutter to create a 42-38 lead on the heels of guard Lawson Godfrey’s runner that inched Loyola within two with 2 minutes showing on the scoreboard.

Jake Sizer, who netted a team-best 14 points, hit a low-post lay-in, while Godfrey buried a 3-pointer during the final minute, but it was not enough to offset Zach Anderson’s flawless free-throw shooting.

Sizer opened the clash of state-ranked titans with a traditional 3-point play and capped the Crusaders’ early 10-3 run with a quick-spin low-post leaner before Zach Anderson drilled half of his game-best four 3-pointers and two free throws to swing an 11-10 lead to MCW with 10:18 left in the first half.

Quinn Kelly followed by draining a 3-pointer for Loyola, but Zach Anderson scored six of the Mavericks’ ensuing 12-0 run to close out the first half with a 23-13 margin.

Godfrey, who was held scoreless during the initial 18 minutes, hit a runner and scooped home a twisting reverse layup to whittle the Crusaders’ deficit to 35-34 with 4:25 remaining in regulation.

Godfrey finished with 11 points, while Kolton Kunz scored nine points before fouling out near the end of regulation. Carter Zimmerman topped the Crusaders with six rebounds and three assists.

Martin County West (16-0) travels to Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial on Monday night for another league game. Mankato Loyola (12-4) plays host to Nicollet on Monday night.

Loyola 13-30–43

MCW 23-27–50

MARTIN CO. WEST (50)

Z. Anderson 7-12 10-10 28, Runkle 0-2 2-2 2, T. Sinn 3-7 0-1 6, Weber 4-9 0-0 10, Bachenberg 1-2 1-2 4, Owens 0-0 0-3 0, Leiding 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 15-35 13-18 50.

LOYOLA (43)

Zimmerman 0-3 0-0 0, Sizer 5-8 3-3 14, Godfrey 5-10 0-0 11, Kunz 3-11 2-2 9, Morgan 2-6 1-1 5, Ammann 0-1 1-2 1, Kelly 1-4 0-0 3, Hill-Koenen 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 16-44 7-8 43.

3-pointers: MCW 7-20 (Z. Anderson 4-8, Weber 2-4, Bachenberg 1-2, Sinn 0-2, Runkle 0-2, Leiding 0-2); Loyola 3-19 (Sizer 1-2, Kunz 1-5, Kelly 1-4, Godfrey 1-5, Zimmerman 0-2, Ammann 0-1, Hill-Koenen 0-1). Fouled out: Kunz (LOY) and Morgan (LOY). Rebounds: MCW 28 (Z. Anderson 9, Sinn 7); Loyola 22 (Zimmerman 6). Assists: MCW 10 (Weber 4); Loyola 7 (Zimmerman 3). Steals: MCW 6; Loyola 5.

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Truman/Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain 52, Cleveland 45 — Jakob Fischer erupted for a career-best 26 points to power the Jaguars to a seven-point Valley Conference victory over the Clippers on Friday night in Cleveland.

Fischer produced a game-best double-double performance by grabbing 13 rebounds to complement pocketing five steals and distributing four assists.

Jacob Moeller contributed eight points, five steals and four assists to the Jaguars’ winning ways, while teammate Tyson Kube chipped in five points and seven boards.

The game was tied at halftime at 20-all before the Jaguars outscored the Clippers 32-25 in the final 18 minutes.

Carter Dylla scored 11 points to top Cleveland.

The Jaguars (6-9) travel to Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s on Monday night for a non-league game.