The Albert Lea High School junior varsity boys’ basketball team won three of its first six games to start the 2002-03 season.

The squad opened with a 54-40 loss to Rochester Mayo. The top scorer for the Tigers was Jeff Bohlman with 12 points.

In a game played at Target Center in Minneapolis, the JV boys defeated LaCrescent 46-44 as Bohrman scored 13, Jay Ackerman 10 and Zach Marty nine. Bohlmann netted 19 points, Mitch Kortz 10 and Matt Dumcomb nine in a 57-41 victory over Spring Grove in the opening round of the first Tiger Classic.

The Tigers went on to fall 55-30 to Eagan in the title game.

The locals lost 55-44 to Winona, with Ackerman scoring 16. Ryan Steele scored 14, Travis Klatt seven and Eric Shahan six in a 45-41 loss to Hayfield.

Other team members include Preston Dahl, Brock Sorenson and Paul Marlin.

&uot;The Target Center game was a great experience,&uot; said coach Dave Gilbertson. &uot;Our players will always be able to say they won a game at the Target Center. We are gaining valuable game experience with these games. We continue to learn from our mistakes. We played great second-half defense against Hayfield. They never did figure out what we were doing.&uot;

Remaining games for the JV team: Jan. 14, at Austin, 4 p.m.; Jan. 16, at Rochester Mayo, 5:30 p.m.; Jan. 25, at NRHEG, 10 a.m.; Jan. 27, vs. Austin, 5 p.m.; Feb. 1, at Fairmont, 1 p.m.; Feb. 17, vs. Rochester Century, 6 p.m.