SIOUX FALLS – A 3-point shooting barrage was too much for Aberdeen Central to overcome on Saturday afternoon.

The Golden Eagles fell to fifth-rated Sioux Falls Lincoln 65-45 in a non-conference boys’ basketball game thanks to hot shooting from the Patriots, who nailed 13 3-pointers in the contest.

“We got blitzed from the three and couldn’t answer,” Central coach Brent Norberg said. “(But the) kids played hard.”

Central held an 18-17 lead after the first quarter, but the Patriots responded in the second quarter, outscoring the Golden Eagles 14-6 to take a 31-24 advantage into the locker room.

The Golden Eagles had to look to their bench in the second half due to injuries in the first half.

“Losing Brendan (Phillips) in the first half hurt when we were already missing Cam Olson,” Norberg said. “I was proud of the kids and their effort.”

In the second half, Lincoln pulled away for good, knocking down seven 3-pointers in the half, including four in a row to end the third quarter.

Despite the loss, Norberg was pleased with how his team handled the ball against Lincoln’s pressure defense.

“We took care of the ball against constant pressure; only nine turnovers,” Norberg said. “We just couldn’t get a rhythm on offense.”

Three players scored in double figures for the Patriots, including 18 points from Tate Schafer, 15 from Garry Crowe, and 11 from Sam Ericsson.

Central was led by Camden Fauth with 11 points, including three 3-pointers, while Grant Fritz had 10 points and Jett Carlson tallied eight.

The Golden Eagles (4-4) will return home to host Watertown on Tuesday.

ABERDEEN CENTRAL (4-4): Jett Carlson 3 0-0 8, Grant Fritz 4 2-2 10, Oliver Rife 1 0-0 2, Parker Lemer 2 0-2 4, Camden Fauth 4 0-0 11, Donnie Soderlund 1 0-0 3, Colby Dauwen 1 0-2 2, Brendan Phillips 1 2-2 5. Totals 17 4-8 45.

SIOUX FALLS LINCOLN (5-3): Garry Crowe 5 4-5 15, Edison Noll 3 0-0 7, Tate Schafer 7 0-0 18, Jack Smith 2 0-0 5, Baxton Mohr 3 0-0 9, Sam Ericsson 3 2-2 11. Totals 23 6-7 65.

Aberdeen Central 18 24 32 45

Sioux Falls Lincoln 17 31 50 65

3-point field goals – Fauth (3), Carlson (2), Soderlund, Phillips; Schafer (4), Mohr (3), Ericsson (3), Crowe, Noll, Smith. Total fouls – Aberdeen Central 6; Sioux Falls Lincoln 13. Rebounds – Aberdeen Central 29 (Fritz 4); Sioux Falls Lincoln 34 (Crowe 7). Turnovers – Aberdeen Central 9; Sioux Falls Lincoln 10. Assists – Aberdeen Central 11 (Lemer 7); Sioux Falls Lincoln 19 (Noll 6). Steals – Aberdeen Central 9 (Carlson 2, Fritz 2, Rife 2); Sioux Falls Lincoln 3 (Noll, Mohr, Isaac Jarovski).