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The Austin boys basketball team is still trying to find its defense, but the offense continues to roll as the Packers scored over 70 points for the seventh straight game in an 80-69 win over Albert Lea in Ove Berven Gym Tuesday.

Junior Cole Hebrink delivered another big night as he piled on 32 points and four steals while knocking down six three-pointers and sophomore Xzayveun Severin was a worthy sidekick as he added 16 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

“Offensively, we’re lucky that we have plenty of dudes that can hit shots,” Austin head coach Jamaal Gibson said. “Cole’s been lights out since he sprained his ankle in practice a little over a month ago and X has been great in all three games since he sprained his ankle. Apparently, if you sprain your ankle, you’re going to come back and be a pretty good basketball player.”

Austin (9-7 overall) took the lead for good when Hebrink hit a lay-up to make it 52-50 and he added a steal and a three-pointer to make it 55-50 with 9:50 left in the game.

Austin added to its cushion when Severin ran down an offensive rebound and saved it to Hebrink, who passed it back to Severin, who drilled a corner three to put the Packers up 63-56 with 5:15 left.

“X was really good tonight,” Hebrink said. “He was getting downhill making lay-ups and he was swinging passes. He also rebounded really well tonight.”

Severin has gotten accustomed to playing at the varsity level, and he’s taken a liking to playing home games in Ove Berven Gym, which the varsity team is doing for the first time in 15 years this season.

“With the spotlight at the start of the game, and having the student section. It’s just the best,” Severin said. “I’m getting more comfortable with every game. I have nice teammates to play with and they push me every day in practice. We’re coming together a lot and we all play big roles on offense, with Cole being the main star.”

The Tigers were within 63-59 when Cooper Kermes, who had 18 points, fouled out of the game with 4:41 left. AL still crept within 64-62 before Hebrink found Severin for a lay-up that made it 66-62. AL’s Carter Conn hit a three to pull the Tigers within 66-65, before Garlo Gee converted a three-point play to make it 69-65 with 3:40 left.

Hebrink said the Packers have to do a better job of staying focused when teams make runs at them.

“We’ve just got to go to the basics,” he said. “We were turning the ball over and we weren’t taking good shots. When we have two or three bad possessions, they go on a run. We just have to keep taking good shots.”

The Packers opened the game on a 25-8 to run, but the Tigers stormed back into the game. AL (3-14 overall) took its first lead of the night when they created an Austin turnover and Kermes nailed a buzzer-beating three-pointer to make it 41-40 at the break. 

“This is back to back games where we’ve had a big lead and we just kind of coast,” Gibson said. “Today it was about rebounding and we got out-rebounded by 15 in the first half. Two or three of those offensive rebounds led to three-pointers or three point plays. It’s just unacceptable.”

AL 41  28  –  69

Austin 40  40  –  80

Austin scoring: Cole Hebrink, 32; Xzayveun Severin, 16; Garlo Gee, 6; Boden Bergstrom, 6; Micah Christopherson, 5; Ohlaani Omot, 4; Banyaan Omot, 4; J’dan Stevens, 3; Mady Kwot, 2