BEMIDJI -- The Bemidji High School boys basketball team turned it on late in the first half and kept the pedal to the metal in the second half to cruise to an 84-69 win over Princeton in the Bemidji Invitational at the BHS Gymnasium Friday night.
The Tigers (3-2) had entered the game as one of the highest scoring teams in the state, averaging about 87 points per game. The Lumberjacks (4-3) held the Tigers to just 69 points, their worst outing of the season, while breaking down their press.
“That was a big accomplishment against a team like that,” BHS head coach Travis Peterson said. “They’re prolific scorers. Every guy on the court is a scorer for them and they pressed us 100 percent of the time. We were able to wear them down by attacking their press and scoring out of it.
“I think that helped our defense. It took some of the energy out of them as far as their offense. But I’m really proud of the defense. Every guy stepped up and played big on the defensive end.”
Ryan Bieberdorf finished just one rebound shy of a double-double, scoring 17 points while grabbing nine rebounds.
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Bemidji’s post players, Spencer Konecne and Colten Jensen, combined for 35 points with Konecne scoring a team-high 18 and Jensen following with 17. Kade Peterson dished out a team-high five assists to go along with nine points, while Jace Peterson grabbed seven boards and tallied four assists with one point.
The Lumberjacks overcame an eight-point deficit to head to halftime up 42-33 despite trailing for most of the opening half. The Tigers led 24-16 after Nathan Mueller hit consecutive 3-pointers midway through the first half.
However, Bemidji ended the half on a 26-9 run that was highlighted by Jensen’s offensive outburst. After Kade Peterson’s and-one play tied the game at 28-all, Jensen scored 10 points in the final five minutes, including the go-ahead bucket that put BHS up 30-28 with 3:40 left in the frame. The sophomore also sunk a pair of free throws and scored three buckets in the paint to help lead the Jacks to a nine-point halftime lead.
“We were struggling a little bit with our press early, and halfway through the first half, we settled down and kind of got our wits about us and really got our spots in the press break,” Peterson said. “Everybody did their job and it looked really nice once we got organized and we were able to capitalize with layups against the press.”
Konecne opened the second half with successive baskets as Bemidji picked up where it left off. The Lumberjacks led by as many as 17 points after Bieberdorf made it 69-52.
Princeton closed to within six points with under three minutes remaining and the score at 72-66, but Bemidji hung on for the 84-69 victory.
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Rival clans of Lumberjacks will clash in the final game of the Bemidji Invitational at 2 p.m. today as Bemidji will host the Lumberjacks of Cloquet.
Cloquet defeated Thief River Falls 74-50 in the first game of the evening Friday. The Prowlers will face Princeton in the first game at the BHS Gymnasium today at 12:30 p.m.
Bemidji 84, Princeton 69
PRI 33 36 -- 69
BHS 42 42 -- 84
Bemidji scorers -- Konecne 18, Bieberdorf 17, Jensen 17, Hubbard 14, K. Peterson 9, Beberg 3, Whiting 3, J. Peterson 1, Wilson 2.
Princeton scorers -- Williams 19, Mueller 15, Stimmler 14, Laabs 9, Flicek 8, Miller 2, A. Schimming 2.
