Lack of turnovers helps Bemidji surge over Esko

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Jan. 3—BEMIDJI — Before the Lumberjacks' game against Esko, Ruby McKeon was nervous.

The Bemidji High School girls basketball senior had suffered a devastating knee injury while playing AAU basketball seven months ago. After so much time recovering on the sidelines, she was finally able to return to practice with full contact after Christmas, albeit with a knee brace.

With a warmup junior varsity game against Elk River on Tuesday, she was ready to return to varsity Saturday night against Esko.

She told her teammates that she felt nervous, but players like Anysia Pink encouraged and supported her as she logged her first varsity minutes of the season.

"We're all just so very happy to have her back," Pink said. "And she's been putting in the work so much over her injury. We're just really, really grateful to see her back here."

McKeon is a favorite in the Bemidji locker room. They've seen how much work she's had to put in to get to this point. Her return put a smile on everyone's face, including assistant coach Travis Peterson.

"It's hard to come back after that much time off," he said. "She's been at practice every day. She doesn't miss anything, focused in practice and doing what she's allowed to do and doing what she's supposed to do with her rehab. So we were really happy to get her on the court."

Her return came at the best time for the Lumberjacks. After losing three of its last four, BHS bounced back and beat Esko 76-42 Saturday afternoon at the BHS gymnasium.

"I was pleased with our team play," Peterson said. "We moved the ball with confidence, limited our turnovers. I think we had a season-low, as far as turnovers.

"I thought we rebounded really well; didn't give up more than a handful of offensive rebounds, so they didn't get a lot of second chances. I felt like our full-court pressure was really solid in the first half — that got us a comfortable lead early."

BHS jumped to a 9-0 lead before Esko could get its first basket. By the time Esko got into double digits, the Jacks were already up 29-10.

The Esko offense looked overwhelmed at times by the Bemidji defense. It rarely allowed open looks by anyone wearing a white jersey.

The key to making an offense uncomfortable is ball pressure, which Peterson describes as the tenet of the Lumberjack defense.

"Number one thing in our defense is ball pressure," Peterson said. "Typically, if teams aren't able to handle that real well, it just disrupts their offense right from the get-go. They can't see the pass; they're not comfortable passing. So ball pressure is key."

By halftime, Bemidji led 46-18, led in scoring by Karley LaZella with 13 points. She ended the afternoon with 21, a team-high.

LaZella makes a living in the paint, on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. She's routinely Bemidji's top rebounder, using her 6-foot-2 frame to gobble up rebounds on either side of the court.

"With her height and the way that she can go and get the ball, it's definitely needed because we're not a super tall team," Pink explained. "So to have her, she's definitely one of our strengths, and we praise God for her because she's very much needed on our team."

Her presence under the basket as well as her offensive ability is a difference maker for the Jacks, Peterson added.

"I mean, tonight they didn't have an answer for her, and that happens on the regular," he said. "Teams don't have a player that is as strong as her."

Bemidji let its starters rest down the stretch of the second half. Before Pink's afternoon was over, she scored 10 second-half points to add to her total of 16. She scored two of Bemidji's four 3-pointers Saturday.

Pink, one of Bemidji's top point-getters this season, credited her teammates for her offensive success.

"It's been hard work, knowing my strengths and my weaknesses and making smart plays," she said of her offensive production this season. "I'm just very grateful for my team. ... They're so strong and they've just really helped me be where I am."

The Lumberjacks (8-4) will stay at home for the next two games. They have upcoming dates against Section 8-4A foes Moorhead and Brainerd, Jan. 8 and 13, respectively. But after the win against Esko, the Jacks feel like they're back into the swing of things after winter break.

"It was nice to get back at it," Pink said. "I feel like we all put in a lot of effort and we just played really strong, so I'm very grateful for that."

Bemidji 76, Esko 42

BHS 46 30 — 76

ESK 18 24 — 42

Bemidji — LaZella 21, Bieber 18, Pink 16, L. Thompson 6, Daman 4, Christiansen 4, Birt 3.

Esko — Johnson 12, Swanson 11, Stwermer 7, Peterson 6, Marline 4, Foxx 1.

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