Notes from the Sports Desk by Tyler Julson

 

The Albert Lea boys’ basketball team pulled out a big win Tuesday night, picking up its first win in nearly three years. It was great to see the reaction from the players and the coaches when the final buzzer sounded and that weight was lifted off their shoulders.

I think it was the teamwork throughout the game that really allowed them to pull ahead. The ball movement, especially late in the first half was something I hadn’t seen before from this team. They’ve always been good at sharing the ball, but Tuesday night was something special. The passes turned into assists were fun to watch. An assist is one of the most underrated stats in basketball; there’s something about watching a good dish that can give me goosebumps.

The boys’ hockey team continued its new year win streak Tuesday night, moving to four straight wins. After starting the season 1-4, they are now 9-6 and in a great spot with about a month left before the start of sections.

The girls’ hockey team has hit a bit of a rough patch as they near the end of their season. They are currently on a three-game skid with six games left in the regular season. Four of those games will be against teams with winning records, but this team has shown it can beat top notch competition before. Hopefully the past week of no games gave them some good rest and allows them to get back on track before sections.

We are down to the final four in the NFL. In the AFC Championship, its New England taking on Kansas City, and in the NFC Championship its the Los Angeles Rams heading to New Orleans. Before the season started, I correctly predicted three of those teams to be where they are at; I’m a little proud of that.

My heart is telling me it’s going to be a Kansas City vs. Los Angeles Super Bowl, but as a Chiefs fan born in 1992, this is uncharted territory for me. I’ve come to expect big disappointment come playoff time.

I think the Chiefs are going to be able to get to Tom Brady quite a bit in the game Sunday. And for a Chiefs defense that has really struggled at times this year, they really stepped up against the Colts last week, one of the hottest teams in the league. I expect the game will be close for a while, but eventually the Chiefs will pull away to win by two possessions, 34-24.

The NFC Championship is going to be a shootout. Both teams have the ability to pressure the quarterback and some stellar players in the secondary. Offensively, both have a multitude of weapons that can come alive at any time. My guy Marcus Peters comes up with a big play late to put the game away, as the Rams win 37-31.

Tyler Julson is the Tribune sports reporter. Contact him at tyler.julson@albertleatribune.com.