Bemidji Lumberjacks Outscore Thief River Falls by 20 in Regular-Season Finale

A 47-27 scoring difference in the second half propelled Bemidji boys basketball to come back from a two-point halftime deficit for an 89-71 win against hot-shooting Thief River Falls on Friday at the Bemidji High School Fieldhouse." The win improved Bemidji to 18-8 heading into the postseason and closed the regular season with a decisive second-half performance.

The last game of the regular season turned into a shootout on a night where Bemidji senior Austin Riewer was honored for recently surpassing 1,000 career points–but did not play in the game due to injury maintenance. Riewer’s milestone drew attention before the contest even as the Lumberjacks prepared without their veteran scorer on the court.

Scoring was in rapid supply early on for the two teams, with Thief River Falls using high-percentage shooting from outside to build a 20-16 lead with only four and a half minutes gone off the clock. Jaxon Boschee shook off a slow start from beyond the arc to pour in five makes from the perimeter in the first half alone—twice giving Bemidji the lead in the process. The Prowlers’ scoring combo of Bridger Wilcox and Wyatt Nelson surged the visitors into a slender 44-42 lead at the end of a wild first half.

Bemidji nudged back in front after halftime with help from timely shots from downtown by senior Kaiden Fischer and carried a narrow edge into the middle stages of the second half. "The score remained stuck at 64-60 in Bemidji’s favor for almost three minutes midway through the second until Matthew Haack provided a massive spark." "The junior forward collected an interior pass and stepped through traffic for an authoritative two-handed dunk that ignited the home crowd."

Thief River Falls cut the lead down to three with a triple, but the Jacks responded with a game-altering 13-0 run that was fueled by threes from Boschee and Bondy. Boschee’s 38 points were a game-high, with Bondy adding 15 and Fischer another 12 as Bemidji pulled away in the final frame to reach the 89-71 final.

The Jacks’ second-half balance—interior aggression from junior forward Matthew Haack, perimeter heat from Boschee and Fischer, and supporting scoring from Bondy—produced the 47-27 margin that decided the regular-season finale. Bemidji heads into the postseason at 18-8, carrying that second-half momentum into district play.

Separate girls-game note: "At halftime, the Bemidji High School girls basketball team held a 24-20 lead over Thief River Falls. In the second half, though, the Lumberjacks pulled away. BHS outscored its opponents 36-23 in the second frame, securing a comfortable 60-43 road win over the Prowlers Friday night." Bemidji 60, Thief River Falls 43 — BHS 24 36 — 60; TRF 20 23 — 43. Bemidji — Pink 20, LaZella 18, Bieber 10, Daman 5, Thompson 4, Malterud 3. Thief River Falls — Greene 13, Fields 8, Berg 8, Wienen 7, Lunsetter 3, Reynolds 2, Peterson 2.

Photo and asset notes: KBUN’s game coverage includes image reference HCNJqWXXAAADMGQ 320x180, and Bemidji Pioneer assets include a file name referencing Matthew Haack; use and credit those images as required.