BLOOMING PRAIRIE — The Awesome Blossoms showed how good they can be when their defense is clicking as they ran past Randolph 53-26 in a boys basketball game Friday night.

The Blossoms (2-1 overall) held the Rockets (1-2 overall) to 14 percent shooting in the second half as they opened the second frame with a 13-2 run over the first seven minutes.

“ The defense is what we talked about at halftime. We were letting way to much dribble penetration happen in the first half,” Blooming Prairie head coach John Bruns said. “We started to shut that down and we played a lot better team defense in the second half. It was a huge difference.”

BP’s defense turned into offense quickly as speedsters Michael Thomas, who finished with 17 points 11 rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks, and Gabe Kartes, who had 10 points and five steals, took full advantage of 21 Randolph turnovers.

“We have a lot of speed and the seniors have been running this kind of offense our whole lives,” Kartes said. “It’s a fast paced game and it’s really fun.”

Thomas said that solid defense makes offense a lot easier for his squad.

“Hopefully we can get a good steal or quick rebound and convert into a quick offensive play and score off it,” he said. “That’s what we’re planning on doing the whole year.”

BP trailed just once all night as Randolph’s Alex McKay hit a three to start the scoring, but the Blossoms used a 12-2 rally to take a 24-14 lead with 3:11 left in the first half and they never looked back.

Freshman John Rumpza had five points during that rally and Kartes added four.

“(John) is phenomenal and I love having him on the team,” Kartes said. “He’s such a big weapon as a freshman and I can’t wait to watch him as a senior. He’s dominant.”

Rumpza, a 6-6 center, finished with 10 points and seven rebounds and he hit a three from the wing to make it 41-20 halfway through the second half.

“John is playing very well for a freshman,” Bruns said. “This is probably his worse game of the three and he was still close to a double-double. He can go inside and step outside. He’s not very happy with how he played, but he’s doing better than what we could have ever expected.”

Luke Hueman finished with five points, four assists, and eight rebounds for BP, Alex Fiebiger chipped in eight points and Luc Zellmer had three points and four assists.

Randolph 18 8 — 26

BP 28 25 — 53

BP scoring: Michael Thomas, 17; Gabe Kartes, 10; John Rumpza, 10; Alex Fiebiger, 8; Luke Hueman, 5; Luc Zellmer, 3; field goals: 40 percent (21-for-53); three-pointers: 23 percent (3-for-13); free throws: 44 percent (8-for-18); rebounds: 47 (Hueman, 8); turnovers: 21

Randolph scoring: Alex McKay, 10; Austin Moorehouse, 6; Jake Dubbles, 4; Chris Feidt, 2; Bret Otte, 2; Ryan Hoey, 2; Ryan Fish, 2; field goals: 21 percent (12-for-56); three-pointers: 13 percent (2-for-15); free throws: 0 percent (0-for-3); rebounds: 33 (Jake Dubbles, 6); turnovers: 21