The Becker Bulldog girls basketball team has a date with Thief River Falls in the Class AAA MSHSL State Tournament third place game Saturday, this after beating #3-seeded St. Paul Como Park and losing to #2-seeded Winona.

 

 

In an unexpected low-scoring game between Becker — who had been averaging nearly 60 points a game — and Winona — who had been averaging 65 — the Winona Winhawks frustrated the Bulldogs and kept them at bay most of the day in Thursday’s semi-final game at Williams Arena.

 

Becker shot just 27.1% (13-of-48) and turned the ball over 17 times. They also only reached the free throw stripe once (1-1) compared to Winona’s 12 times (7-12).

 

That proved to be the difference.

 

Before the game, the Bulldogs received a special treat when waiting in their lockerroom was all-star Rachel Banham of the Gophers.  She gave the team a pep-talk and inspired the girls to give the game their all out best. According to some reports, it was one of the team’s greatest thrills so far in their trek to a state championship.

 

Becker got the first two points of the game when Claire Thorn netted a rebound shot off Abbigail Morrell’s shot just 40 seconds into the game. Becker was able to hold the lead or at least be tied seven different times in the first half. The largest lead either team had was  five when Winona held a 17-12 lead at the six-minute mark.

 

Becker struggled to get the ball inside to centers Alex Johnson and Thorn and when they did, Johnson and Thorn were swarmed under and had to kick the ball back out. The perimeter shooters didn’t have much luck either as each time the ball got to their hands, a Winhawk was immediately in their face, contesting the shot or pass.

 

Amanda Lindsay had two field goals and one converted free throw in the first 18 minutes, but was shut out the rest of the way as she finished with six points.

 

Alexa Hanowski had five points including a critical three-pointer with 4:27 left in the first half to cut Winona’s lead to just two. Mackenzie Kramer had one three-pointer and Alex Johnson one bucket from underneath.

 

The teams headed into the locker rooms with the score 22-18 in favor of Winona.

 

The second half was much like the first, with both teams struggling to net baskets and defenses being stingy.

 

Winona increased their lead with a two-pointer and a three to go up 27-18 before Becker began to surge. Kramer nailed a three from the left of the basket, Morrell followed that with a three of her own followed by a two-pointer by Johnson and Becker was neck-and-neck at 27-26 with 10 minutes left.

 

The Winhawks scored a triple at 8:03 to go up by four two minutes later and Johnson countered with a two to bring it to 30-28. Another basket by Winona gave them a 32-28 lead until Johnson hit a basket and Hanowski netted a three to go up 33-32 with 3:26 to go.

 

Little did anyone know, it was Becker’s final basket of the game.

 

Winona’s Head Coach Tim Gleason called a timeout and gave his team a message. He told them, “We only have four  (minutes) left, this is when we go win it.”

 

His team responded and held Becker scoreless the rest of the way while notching five more points to close the game out.

 

“Winona really clamped down there at the end, and we just didn’t get a good look,” Becker coach Paul Lindsay said. “When we did, we missed it. We fell one possession short.”

 

Becker scoring: Hanowski 8, Johnson 8, Lindsay 6, Kramer 6, Morrell 3 and Thorn 2.

 

Winona scoring: Eden Nibbelink 11, Hallee Hoeppner 9, Abby Winter 7, Danneka Voegeli 6, Maria Appicelli 3 and Justine Schultz 1.

 

Winona will play Holy Angels in the Class 3A championship game Saturday at 6 p.m. in Williams Arena. Becker will play Thief River Falls for third place at 2 p.m. at Concordia College Saturday.

 

 

Wednesday, the unseeded Becker Bulldogs took on the #3-seeded St. Paul Como Park Cougars at Mariucci Arena and pulled off a huge upset.

 

Led by Lindsay’s 18 points and Johnson’s 14 points and 18 rebounds, the Bulldogs advanced to the state semi-finals for the first time since 2007.

 

Senior Alexa Hanowski chipped in 11 points and eight boards. Off the bench, eighth-grader Mackenzie Kramer provided a spark to the Bulldogs and gained some national attention as she finished a rebound short of a double-double with 10 points and nine boards.

 

Becker led from wire-to-wire in the opening half as they built a comfortable lead as the game went on. The Bulldogs eventually pushed their advantage to nine at 23-14 and again at 24-15 with less than five minutes left in the half.

 

Como Park came back, however, as they scored nine of the final 10 points of the period to pull within one at 25-24 at the break.

 

Becker held Como Park to 31.3% (20-64) shooting throughout the contest and 22.7% (5-22) at the charity stripe while holding a 52-31 advantage on the glass, despite turning the ball over 28 times. 

 

As the final 18 minutes commenced, the Bulldogs pushed their lead back to eight in the first few minutes of the second half, but the Cougars responded again to pull even at 43-43 with 9:19 to play. Como Park had several opportunities to take their first lead of the afternoon in the next few possessions, but Becker held strong as their lead grew back to eight heading into the final five minutes. The gap shrunk to single digits a few more times down the stretch as the Cougars, but Becker held on to claim a 62-57 win.

 

Becker scoring: Lindsay 18, Johnson 14, Hanowski 11, Kramer 10, Morrell 5, Whitney Raygor 3 and Renee Tripp 1.

 

Como scoring: Mikayla VanNett 14, Raiyne Adams 12, Andrayah Adams 11, Elaina Jones 8, Autumn Tucker 5, Asiza Shepherd 4 and Sydney Jackson 3.

 

A full report on Saturday’s third place game will appear in next week’s Citizen-Tribune.