The Becker boys basketball team picked up a pair of wins last week in the M8 Conference, defeating Chicago Lakes 71-51 Thursday evening on the road, before downing St. Francis 78-70 on Friday evening.

Vs. Chisago Lakes

Against Chicago Lakes, three Bulldogs were in double figures scoring, led by Isiah Boyer’s 31 points, while the team’s defense was suffocating.

Junior guard Isiah Boyer delivered a standout performance, leading all scorers with 31 points while adding five assists, three rebounds, and a game-high six steals.

Head Coach Cory Nuest said at halftime, the Bulldogs made a conscious adjustment to create space and emphasize attacking advantages.

“Fun to see our players’ unselfishness,” Nuest added. “At halftime, the players’ halftime discussion was centered around giving Isiah space and opportunities to attack.”

Bryce Paumen added 16 points and seven rebounds, while Nathan Weiss chipped in 10 points, five rebounds, and six assists.

Other Becker stats included Troy Nuest with six points, five boards, four assists and three steals, while Nolan Burau had six rebounds and Saul Kreft was physical inside with fiverebounds.

Vs. Saints

Friday night, the Bulldogs had their toughest test of the season and had to play a total team effort to knock off the Saints.

St. Francis came out aggressive and physical, scoring 41 points in the first half and controlling the offensive glass with 10 offensive rebounds before the break.

“Our goal is to hold teams under 60 points and less than five offensive rebounds,” Nuest said. “Credit to St. Francis — they came out more aggressive than us in the first half.” 

However, Becker remained composed and focused on responding rather than reacting.

Offensively, Becker recorded a season-high 27 assists.

Bryce Paumen delivered a dominant performance, finishing with 28 points and 17 rebounds while competing at an elite level on both ends of the floor.

Boyer added 24 points and added six assists, while playing lockdown defense in the second half.

Nathan Weiss finished with 12 points, seven assists, and four rebounds, while Troy Nuest added 10 points, four assists, four rebounds.

On the glass, seniors Saul Kreft and Nolan Burau played a major role, each pulling down nine rebounds and providing physicality, toughness, and extra possessions.