BEMIDJI – Jackson Bosch was transcendent Thursday night. However, he was unable to help the Bemidji High School boys basketball team beat St. Cloud Tech at the BHS gymnasium.
The Tigers played fast and physical, building an 18-point lead near the end of the first half. Bemidji fought back with a 6-0 spurt just before halftime.
However, no matter how hard the Jacks tried, they were unable to close the gap enough in the second half. Despite Bosh setting a career high with 40 points, the team lost 87-76. That number was three points more than the state's leading scorer, Tameron Ferguson, had at Tech.
“Tech is one of the most athletic teams we play,” BHS head coach Steve Thompson said. “The length is there as well. So tonight was certainly a tough test for us.”
Madeline Hasken / Bemidji Pioneer
The Tigers (13-5), led by Ferguson, who averaged 35.4 points per game Thursday, were firing on all cylinders during a bountiful first half. They were on pace to score over 100 points for a good portion of the opening frame, building a 44-26 advantage over the Lumberjacks.
However, Bemidji (8 wins, 11 losses) took over from there and decided the game. The Jacks outscored Tech by seven points the rest of the game and got within five points multiple times in the second half.
“They shot really well tonight, even though they haven't shot well in a lot of films I've seen,” said Thompson of the Tigers. “(It's) a credit to the other shooters on the team tonight for coming out and making big shots. … If you had told me in the first half that I was going to come back into the game, I probably would have been surprised. So, I was pleasantly surprised with the way we fought back and fought the rest of the game.”
Of course, St. Cloud Tech wasn't going anywhere either, with the Tigers scratching the Lumberjacks every time they took away from a big lead. Despite Bemidji's comeback momentum, Tech's big first half rally was still the difference in the game.
Madeline Hasken / Bemidji Pioneer
“It’s really hard to overcome a run like that against a team as good as St. Cloud Tech,” Thompson said. “(That's) a credit to our boys. We fought back and got it down to five points several times. I was really proud of the grit we showed tonight.”
The crowd in attendance enjoyed a high-level scoring duel between Bosh and Ferguson. The match often moved in either team's direction. Bosh's late 3-point shot was critical to keeping Bemidji within striking distance, and Ferguson made multiple layups and free throws late to seal the victory for SCT.
“Jackson took some really good shots in the second half, but there were a number of guys that stepped up and helped him along the way,” Thompson said. “Dawson Ohlrich's performance in the first half, coming off the bench and giving us six points, really sparked us and led us into the second half. … (Jackson's) special shooter. I mean, to see that. You've got to come out here and watch. I've never coached anyone like him. He's something else. (But) all of our players did a lot of good things tonight.”
Madeline Hasken / Bemidji Pioneer
St. Cloud Tech 87, Bemidji 76
SCT 44 43 – 87
BHS 32 44 – 76
Bemidji – Boche 40, Brown 9, Luksik 8, Orlich 8, Huseby 7, Leewer 4.
ST. Crowdtech – Ferguson 37, Baines 13, Traore 10, Harris 5, Reiser 4, Abdi 2, Boyongo 2, Henke 2.
Madeline Hasken / Bemidji Pioneer
Madeline Hasken / Bemidji Pioneer
Madeline Hasken / Bemidji Pioneer
Madeline Hasken / Bemidji Pioneer
Christian Babcock is a sports reporter for the Bemidji Pioneer. He made the trek from his hometown of Campbell, Calif., to Bemidji after graduating from Arizona State University's Cronkite School in 2021. Follow him on Twitter (@CB_Journalist) for updates on the Lumberjacks and Beavers, as well as suggestions for your favorite local restaurants.
