Junior college basketball: Ridgewater Warriors rev it up in the second half to beat Minnesota West

Tom Elliott, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.
·1 min read

Feb. 15—WORTHINGTON — The Ridgewater men's basketball team used a strong second half to beat Minnesota West Technical and Community College on Wednesday night.

The Warriors beat the Blue Jays 96-81 after trailing 37-36 at halftime in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference game. Ridgewater out-scored Minnesota West 60-44 in the second half.

Malik Westerfield had 22 points for Ridgewater. He's a 6-foot-2 sophomore guard from Davenport West High School in Iowa.

Trevor Dorenbosch, a 6-5 freshman from Magna, Utah, added 17 points for the Warriors.

Elijah Williams led the Blue Jays with 29 points. He's 6-1 sophomore from Sioux Falls, South Dakota who transferred to Minnesota West from Morningside University in Iowa.

Bie Ruei, a 6-5 freshman from Sioux City, Iowa, added 18 points for the Blue Jays.

The Warriors won the first meeting between the teams 84-74 on Jan. 18 in Willmar.

Ridgewater closes out the regular season against Minnesota State-Fergus Falls at 3 p.m. Saturday in Willmar.

Ridgewater (10-13) 36 60 — 96

Minnesota West (5-20) 37 44 — 81

The nationally ranked Minnesota West Lady Jays cruised past Ridgewater at Worthington.

Minnesota West is ranked third in NJCAA Division III and have a 27-2 record.

Gabby Randt, a freshman from MACCRAY, scored 19 points and Jenna Kunnerth, a freshman from Browerville, added 16 for Ridgewater.

The Warriors lost 92-18 to Minnesota West on Jan. 18 in Willmar.

Ridgewater closes the season against Minnesota State-Fergus Falls at 1 p.m. Saturday in Willmar.

Ridgewater (1-23) 11 9 11 15 — 46

Minnesota West (26-2) 30 26 26 33 — 115