Braham looks for third straight

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Don't let the scoresheet and the hype fool you. Braham is much more than Isaiah Dahlman.

The Mr. Basketball finalist and Michigan State recruit did score 22 points to lead Braham past Pelican Rapids 64-54. But when pressure defense by the Vikings limited Dahlman to five first-half points, his teammates were there to keep the game close.

Alex Bendickson, who's just 5-10, scored a career-high 11 points, all in the first half. He hit a pair of 3-point shots in the game's first 5 minutes, then made another one halfway through the period.

"I just tried to come out and play loose, and just knock them down," Bendickson said. "They gave me open shots."

Alex Thiry had 16 and Noah Dahlman added 15, but it was Bendickson who set the tone to lead Braham (30-2) into its third straight Class 2A state championship game.

"What a time to have the best game of your life," said Braham coach Bob Vaughan. "Making those threes, playing good defense. He's just getting better."

The Bombers and Vikings were tied four times with seven lead changes when Dahlman's floating shot from the baseline put Braham ahead for good. Dahlman then led a critical 11-2 run that Pelican Rapids (29-3) never recovered.

"We have heart, the heart of a champion," Vaughan said.

Breck showed heart in its semifinal game, holding off Dover-Eyota's furious second-half rally to win 58-56. The Mustangs (25-6) had an 11-point lead with 11:21 to go before the Eagles started making their shots.

"We ended up winning by two, so I guess that's all that matters," said Jordan McMichael, who scored 26 points on 13-for-18 shooting. "We had tests like this early in the year, every game we've played so far has prepared us for what we're going to see in the state tournament."

Some games on the football field have prepared McMichael for the showdown with the Bombers. Four times, he's lined up as tight end for Breck against Braham and the Dahlman brothers in the state football . McMichael's team won the first two, the Bombers took the next two.

"I'm looking for a little bit of revenge," said McMichael, who's signed to play football at Boston College. "Me and Noah have battled it out head-to-head, and Isaiah covered me this season."

But even McMichael knows that Braham's basketball team is not a one-man wrecking crew.

"We have to contain Isaiah, and not let their role players get off," he said.

For the second straight year, Rushford-Peterson (22-9) is in the Class 1A state championship, taking on Ellsworth on Saturday at Target Center. A year ago, the Trojans lost to Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 58-55.

Rushford-Peterson coach Thomas Vix wants to do one thing different from that 2005 game.

"To win," he said with a laugh, moments after the Trojans survived a 51-50 semifinal game over previously unbeaten and top-ranked Maranatha Christian Academy (32-1).

"We're going up against a lot of offensive firepower," said Vix about Ellsworth. "We're going to have to defend well. And Drinkall's gotta' be Drinkall."

Tyler Drinkall was himself on Friday night, who scored 15 points and watched as a last-second attempt by Maranatha bounced off the backboard.

"That last minute was just crazy," Drinkall said. "But we got the stop we needed at the end. You can't panic at a time like that."

Friday was a bad day for undefeated teams, as No. 2 Osakis (30-1) fell 70-63 to unranked Ellsworth (28-4) in the other Class 1A semifinal.

Cody Schilling scored 32 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in Ellsworth's win.

"He's a heckuva ballplayer," said Ellsworth coach Markus Okeson. "He's a bit of a vocal leader for us, but more often he leads by example. He's got a real presence."

Osakis led 48-44 with less than 12 minutes left when Aaron Van Der Stoep hit one of his five 3-pointers to bring Ellsworth within a point. Schilling then took a charge and hit a 3-pointer at the other end to start a 14-2 run that put Ellsworth on top for good.

"Just before we came out our assistant coach (Steve Kellen) grabbed me and said 'Hey, this is your game -- take over,' " Schilling said. "We're at the Target Center, on TV, what better time? It feels great."

Rushford won the 1989 Class 1A title, but has not win a state championship since consolidation.