While they showed how to play with Winona (17-1 overall, 11-0 Big Nine) for half of the game, the Packers boys basketball team couldn’t keep it up in a 51-39 loss to the Winhawks in Packer Gym Friday night.

Winona’s twin towers of Alex Brown, who is 7-feet tall, and Mike Blacklock, who is 6-6, proved too much as they combined for 34 points.

Austin tied the game at 34 with 6:03 left when freshman center Tom Aase hit a jumper and Aase pulled the Packers to within 37-36 with 5:15 left when he knocked down another jumper. But the Winhawks finished the game on a 12-3 run to close it out.

“Their coach (Rocky Peterson) is extremely good and he’s doing a great job with those guys,” Austin head coach Kris Fadness said. “They very rarely take a bad shot and their turnover totals are low every game. They’re going to be a tough out and tough for anybody else to beat in our league.”

Austin (6-9 overall, 5-7 Big Nine) led throughout the first half and it held a 25-19 advantage at the half after T.J. Fritz scored off a pick for a lay-up on an inbounds play at the halftime buzzer.

“I thought we did everything we talked about in practice and prepared for,” Fadness said. “We had a tremendous first half and I don’t know if we could play much better.”

After the break, Winona took over as it forced six Austin turnovers to go on a 9-0 run before the Packers hit their first shot of the half, a lay-up by Joey Swatfager that made it 28-27 with 9:08 left in the game.

“The frustrating part was the turnovers,” Fadness said. “Against them you have to play flawless, you have to shoot a high percentage and take care of the basketball. A couple of those long cross court passes that were stolen for lay-ups are killer in a possession game and we had too many of those in the second half.”

Defensively, the Winhawks were able to contain Connor Gunderson with a box and one for most of the night. Gunderson, who finished with 13 points and four steals, scored 11 of Austin’s first 13 points of the game. But the Winhawks switched to a four-man box zone with John Scheevel shadowing Gunderson. Every time, Gunderson got the ball, he was double teamed.

“They made a concerted effort to take Connor out of the game in the second half,” Fadness said.

Fadness said the Packers showed the blue-print on how to stick with Winona in the first half, when they were conservative with the ball and tried to shorten the game.

“I know fans might think we’ve got to shoot more, but if you force up a quick shot and don’t make it you’re in deep trouble against a team that has a superior rebound and superior size,” he said. “The last thing you want (against Winona) is a high possession game.”

T.J. Fritz had five points and six assists for Austin and Brown had 20 points, nine rebounds and two blocks for Winona.

Winona 19 32 — 51

Austin 25 14 — 39

Austin scoring: Connor Gunderson, 13; Joey Swatfagger, 8; Tom Aase, 8; T.J. Fritz, 5 Matt Duren, 3; Jacob Brehmer, 2; free throws: 100 percent (4-for-4); rebounds: 14 (Brehmer, 5); turnovers: 14

Winona scoring: Alex Brown, 20; Mark Blacklock, 14; Erik Chapman, 7; Martin Feddersen, 5; John Scheevel, 3; free throws: 52 percent (11-for-21); rebounds: 23 (Brown, 9); turnovers: 13