HERMANTOWN -- Hermantown took off late on the Bemidji High School girls basketball team Tuesday night, separating on the Lumberjacks for a 72-64 home win.
The Lumberjacks (15-8) actually held a one-point halftime lead over the Hawks (21-2), who haven’t lost all home all season. BHS couldn’t disrupt that trend in the end, however, letting its 34-33 edge slide with Hermantown outscoring Bemidji 39-30 in the final 18 minutes.
Katie Alto poured in 16 points for the Lumberjacks, including a pair of late 3-pointers in the closing minutes to try to stage a rally. Emily Wade also had 16 to share the team lead, and Lindsey Hildenbrand chipped in another 11 for BHS.
The Hawks got 17 points out of Brita Birkeland and Elly Schmitz, plus another 16 from Bryton Kukowski, to seal the win.
Bemidji will be back out east for a 7:15 p.m. tip at Cloquet on Friday, Feb. 14.
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Hermantown 72, Bemidji 64
BHS 34 30 -- 64
HHS 33 39 -- 72
BEMIDJI (15-8) -- Alto 16, E. Wade 16, L. Hildenbrand 11, T. Wade 7, Hofstad 6, Bolte 3, Johnson 3, R. Jones 2.
HERMANTOWN (21-2) -- Birkeland 17, Schmitz 17, Kukowski 16, Asgaard 9, Christianson 9, Menzel 4.
