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Another classic neighborhood basketball battle

Whenever the Red Lake and Cass Lake-Bena boys basketball teams tangle it is assured that the fans will be in for a special treat.

Historically both programs are among the best the area has to offer and more often than not the neighborhood rivals live up to that billing.

Thursday the rivalry was renewed at Red Lake and, as is the custom, the pace was racehorse and the action never slowed.

“It was a shootout,” said CL-B coach Brian Michaelson, “and it’s tough to win when you get involved in a shootout at Red Lake.”

The Panthers discovered just how tough it is to match baskets against the Warriors when they are on target with their shots as Red Lake outlasted Cass Lake-Bena 112-107 in overtime.

“This game was fun to play,” said Red Lake coach Roger White. “The pace was back and forth. I think Cass Lake’s largest lead was only seven points and so was ours.”

The teams were tied 98-98 after regulation and the eventual difference was the ability to hit free throws. Red Lake converted 26 of its 34 free throws and drained eight of its 10 attempts in overtime.

Former Cass Lake-Bena head coach Dan Ninham is an assistant this year at Red Lake and he brought his knowledge of the CL-B program to his new home. As evidenced by the score, the Panthers were able to solve Red Lake’s defensive scheme but they couldn’t control the Warriors’ hot shooting guards.

“The trap defense wasn’t a problem but what surprised me the most was that we couldn’t slow down Red Lake’s guards,” Michaelson said. “Brendan Beaulieu, Ryan Holthusen and Aaron Beaulieu scored 98 of Red Lake’s 112 points. They were quick and they shot lights out.

“And it didn’t make any difference where they took the shots,” Michaelson continued. “I know that Red Lake made at least two 3-pointers from within 15 feet of mid-court.”

Holthusen finished with 37 points while Aaron Beaulieu had 33 and Brendan Beaulieu 28.

“Cass Lake is big inside and we had to attack the basket and take the mid-range jumpers because we knew we couldn’t match Cass Lake inside,” White said. “We did all we could to stop them and they did all they could to stop us. But both teams were using the transition game and (that created) a fast pace.

“If there had been a shot clock they could have turned it off,” White added.

Jake Ellis paced CL-B’s offense with 35 points and 20 rebounds while Jordan Collins had 27 points and eight boards, Caleb Fisher 19 points and 10 rebounds, Cody Wind 12 points and 12 assists and Josh LaDuke nine points and eight assists.

“Jake had a great game and, offensively, we played very well,” Michaelson said. “But we missed some free throws at the end and Red Lake didn’t.”

Thursday’s game was the first between the two teams since Ninham, who helped build Cass Lake-Bena into a state power, joined the Red Lake coaching staff.

“The situation might have heightened things a little at the start but it was such a pumped up game between the two communities that his being a coach at Red Lake really wasn’t a factor,” Michaelson said. “You hate to lose a game but the reality is that it is tough to go through a year unbeaten.

“Last year we lost at Red Lake when they hit a buzzer-beater from 3-point land and then they came to Cass Lake-Bena and we won by 30 points,” Michaelson continued. “Hopefully Red Lake won’t hit those 30-footers next time at our place.”

“I think the game at Cass Lake will be the same thing,” White said. “We’ll probably try to get our pressure defense going and try to work the transition off of it. And I expect Cass Lake to do the same.”

In other action last week CL-B thumped Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 69-53. Fisher had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Ellis 13 points, 18 rebounds and seven steals, Collins 12 points and seven boards and Wind nine points and seven assists.

The Panthers, 4-1, are off until participating in a tournament hosted by Crosby-Ironton Dec. 27-28.

Red Lake improved to 4-0 Saturday when it thumped Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 101-61 in Walker.

Bagley improved to 4-0 last week with a 79-59 win at Waubun and an 83-65 victory at Mahnomen. Blackduck (4-2) split a pair of games, stopping Nevis 71-60 but losing 65-57 to Littlefork-Big Falls. Laporte (1-3) posted its first win of the year when it tripped Bug O Nay Ge Shig 68-43 while Kelliher-Northome improved to 3-2 on the season with a 67-40 win at Lake of the Woods and a 77-66 triumph at Clearbrook-Gonvick.

Bagley forward Lorenzo Pemberton was honored by the Pine to Prairie Conference coaches as he was named the league’s Player of the Week for Dec. 12.

In a pair of wins the Flyers captain had 28 points 12 assists, seven steals and five blocks.

Kelliher-Northome dipped to 3-3 overall last week when it lost 60-50 at Lake of the Woods. The Mustangs trailed 37-17 at the break and saw a rally fall short.

Katey Lutz had 19 points and Kelly Heck 13 for K-N which hosts Hill City Tuesday.

Red Lake upped its winning streak to three games with a 58-42 victory at Laporte and a 75-62 home win over Cass Lake-Bena. Serna Graves scored 23 against the Panthers while Tatiana Mclean had 19, Avery Holthusen 12 and Grace White eight.

Blackduck fell to 2-4 after losing 56-26 to Nevis and 65-21 to Red Lake County Central. Cass Lake-Bena slipped to 0-5 with a 77-41 loss to WHA and a 75-62 defeat at Red Lake.

Clearbrook-Gonvick enters the week 3-3 after falling 62-59 at Win-E-Mac and defeating Nevis 54-37. Laporte entered the win column for the first time when it stopped Bug O Nay Ge Shig 81-10. The Wildlcats also lost 58-43 to Red Lake and 61-38 to Lake of the Woods.

Bagley split two games last week, losing 63-52 at Waubun and defeating Mahnomen 69-32. The Flyers now stand 2-3.

Fosston-Bagley finished 16th with 59 points in the 32-team Big Bear wrestling invitational hosted by Cass Lake-Bena Friday and Saturday while the host Bears were 18th with 54 points.

Badger-Greenbush-Middle River won the meet with 103.50 points.

BCLB had two wrestlers place fifth while Fosston-Bagley saw Blake Olson finish third at 182 and Josh Albright claim fifth at heavyweight.

Devin Hagen also was seventh at 195.

Andrew Nissen was fifth for the Bears at 106 pounds, stopping Brett Jerome of Roseau 7-6 in three overtimes in the battle for fifth. Teammate Alex Goodwin also claimed fifth in the 220-pound division after a decision win over Bobby Kylee of Red Lake County Central.

Bagley-Fosston fell 11-1 to Prairie Centre Area on Saturday and is 1-5 on the season.

“We played very well but often had many miscues and untimely penalties which derailed any momentum,” said B-F coach Michael Olson.

Tyler Godin scored Bagley-Fosston’s goal and Sean Lavine had the assist. Andrew Gebhardt had 42 saves for the Flyers who host Kittson Central Tuesday.

 

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