The Becker Bulldog boys basketball team lost twice this past week to fall to 5-4 on the year.
Rocori 64, Becker 62
In one of seven games played last Saturday at St. Cloud State's Halenbeck Hall in the Breakdown Granite City Classic, the Becker Bulldogs lost to the Rocori Spartans by two.
Becker's Andrew Davalos sank two free throws with 23.8 seconds left to put the Bulldogs (4-5) up 62-61. It was a non-shooting situation and the Spartans already had committed 10 fouls in the half, giving Davalos two shots.
The game was nip and tuck all the way. Rocori led by as much as 11 in the first half, but Becker went on an 8-0 run to pull to within 30-27 at halftime.
The second half stayed close, though Rocori led most of the way.
Michael Veldman led Becker. The 6-foot-4 senior guard had 25 points, including five three-pointers.
“He's a tough kid to guard,” said Rocori junior Austin Overman, who took turns with several Spartans guarding Veldman. “He can shoot great. I don't think he missed in the first half.”
Head coach Josh Ihrke, in his second season with the Bulldogs, was pleased with the effort.
“We had some miscues that just killed us,” he said. “The big things were the little things.”
Dillon Radunz, a 6-6 junior post, had 13 points and led Becker with four rebounds.
The Bulldogs had two good chances to win it at the end. Veldman tossed up a closely contested 22-footer. Matt Yoerg got the offensive rebound, but his off-balance tip-in was off the mark.
Becker Scoring: Veldman 25, Radunz 13, Davalos 8 (3 steals), Blake Barthel 6, Clayton Gallus 5, Dawson Brown 3 (5 assists) and Zack Moeller 2.
Rocori Scoring: Derek Thompson 19 (10 rebounds), Austin Overman 15 (4 assists, 3 steals), Connor Schoberg 8 (3 assists, Jon Olson 6, (3 steals), Cole Field 6, Alec Anderson 4 Ryan Hennen 4 and Skippy Virchow 2.
St. Francis 74, Becker 60
Robbie Whitney’s 21 points led St. Francis past Becker at the Granite City Classic at St. Cloud Apollo High School last Friday night.
Veldman had 12 points to lead Becker. Barthel finished with 11.
Ethan Scheuring added 12 for the Saints.
St. Francis led 35-23 at halftime.
Becker hosted Rogers Friday (full report in next week’s Citizen) and then plays at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Cloud Apollo in a rescheduled game because of the Bulldogs' Prep Bowl appearance.
