MADISON – Aberdeen Roncalli jumped in front early and held off Madison going away, as the Cavaliers claimed a 62-51 boys’ basketball win over the Bulldogs in the Dak XII-NEC Clash Saturday night.

Roncalli was on target from beyond the arc in the win, draining a dozen 3-pointers in the game. Seniors Keegan Stewart and Maddox Miller led the way in that effort, hitting five 3s apiece. Miller finished with a game-best 25 points, while Stewart joined him with 20 points.

“They shot really well,” said Roncalli coach Dan Gallagher. “Honestly, outside of the Hamlin game … we’ve been shooting really consistently, but today was the best they’ve shot since the first game of the season. Guys shot with confidence.”

Winners of six of their last seven contests, the Cavaliers grabbed an early lead and grew it to double digits by the second quarter.

Gallagher said he was as happy about the other pieces of the game as well, including assists, steals and a solid defensive performance.

“There weren’t many easy looks (Madison) got,” he said. “I thought our guys battled really well.”

The Bulldogs, however, refused to concede and stayed within a handful of possessions throughout the second half before a late 3-pointer made it an 11-point final margin.

Roncalli improves to 8-5 after starting the season with a 2-4 mark.

“They were up to the moment,” Gallagher said. “They knew this was a big game for us. We haven’t won down here recently, and we wanted to see what we could do against a solid team like Madison.”

Roncalli will turn its attention back to Northeast Conference action when it travels to Tiospa Zina on Tuesday.

“I know the guys are motivated for that one,” Gallagher said. “It’s the team that ended our season last year.”

ABERDEEN RONCALLI (8-5): Maddox Miller 8 4-4 25, Caden Shelton 2 0-0 4, Keegan Stewart 6 3-6 20, Aiden Fisher 0 1-1 1, Parker Grieben 2 0-0 4, Brody Weinmeister 2 2-2 8. Totals 20-33 10-14 62.

MADISON (6-6): Eli Barger 3 0-0 8, Charles Callahan 5 0-0 14, Ben Brooks 7 0-1 16, Thomas Mechels 1 0-0 2, Shane Veenhoff 2 2-4 7, Myles Schneider 1 2-4 4. Totals 19-52 4-9 51.

Aberdeen Roncalli 15 31 49 62

Madison 10 24 36 51

3-point field goals – Miller (5), Stewart (2), Weinmeister (2); Barger (2), Callahan (4), Brooks (2), Veenhoff 1. Total fouls – Aberdeen Roncalli 11; Madison 21. Rebounds – Aberdeen Roncalli 27; Madison 21. Turnovers – Aberdeen Roncalli 15; Madison 11. Steals – Aberdeen Roncalli 7 (Stewart 3); Madison 11 (Veenhof 5, Mechels 3).