MILBANK – Aberdeen Roncalli faced an uphill battle all game, and just when it appeared the Cavaliers would reach the top, Milbank Area turned them away Friday night.

The Bulldogs led from start to finish and closed on a 7-1 surge to record a 42-34 Northeast Conference boys’ basketball win.

“There’s no lack of effort,” said Roncalli coach Dan Gallagher. “Our guys played extremely hard all the way through.”

Milbank jumped out to a 10-2 lead to start the game, but Roncalli regrouped and eventually close the gap to 16-14 just before the half.

“After that first quarter our defense really stepped up and just played outstanding,” Gallagher said.

The problem wasn’t Roncalli’s defense as much as it was its offense. The Cavaliers eventually fell behind 33-21 before mounting one final rally.

“It’s hard to come back if shots aren’t falling and that was the case tonight,” Gallagher said.

He said part of the issue was getting a bit too deep into the shot clock.

“I thought we had some good looks that we just didn’t neccesarily take,” Gallagher said. “We kind of let the shot clock wind down a little too much and forced some worse shots.”

Roncalli went on a 12-2 run to close the deficit down to 35-33 capped by Aiden Fisher’s three-point field goal with 2:38 remaining. The Cavaliers then had a solid look at a game-tying shot in the lane, but came away empty.

From there, Jaxson Wildung made two free throws, then stole the ball and fed Justus Osborn for a basket as the Bulldogs weathered the storm for the victory.

Garrett Mertens scored a game-high 20 points to lead Milbank Area.

Maddox Miller led the Cavaliers with a dozen points. Jayden Munroe contributed eight points and six rebounds.

Roncalli played without the services of Darwin Gambler, who was injured in the JV game.

“It wasn’t one of those games where it was a high-scoring game,” Gallagher said. “It was anybody’s game at any point.”

The Cavaliers, 9-7 on the season, are now done traveling for the rest of the regular season. Roncalli plays host to Miller on Tuesday as part of a girls-boys doubleheader at Roncalli Gym.

“What’s nice now is we get to the finish out the season at home for the next four,” Gallagher said.

Roncalli will try to find a bit more offense than it could muster against Milbank.

“It was hard fought battle, it’s just we need to get the shots the fall,” Gallagher said, “so that’s what we’re going to back to is, how can we clean that stuff up and find better looks?”

ABERDEEN RONCALLI (9-7): Maddox Miller 5 1-2 12, Cade Shelton 1 0-0 2, Aiden Fisher 1 3-3 6, Jayden Munroe 4 0-2 8, Maddox May 1 0-0 2, Zane Backous 2 0-0 4. Totals 14-36 4-7 34.

MILBANK AREA (6-6): Justus Osborn 2 0-1 4, Yohana Ajwanga 1 1-3 3, Garrett Mertens 6 3-6 20, Jaxson Wildung 2 2-4 6, Joe Schulte 2 3-4 7, Graham Lightfield 1 0-1 2, Eli Johnson0 0-1 0. Totals 14-38 9-20 42.

Aberdeen Roncalli 6 14 24 34

Milbank Area 14 19 33 42

3-point field goals – Miller, Fisher; Mertens 5. Total fouls – Aberdeen Roncalli 14; Milbank Area 14. Rebounds – Aberdeen Roncalli 25 (Munroe 6); Milbank Area 29 (Wildung 6). Turnovers – Aberdeen Roncalli 17; Milbank Area 16. Assists – Aberdeen Roncalli 3; Milbank Area 4. Steals – Aberdeen Roncalli 4 (Backous 2); Milbank Area 9 (Mertens 3).