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3 minutes that defined Minnesota’s Game 3 victory

Jace Frederick / Pioneer Press — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 20:00:00 GMT

There comes a point when Timberwolves guard Mike Conley believes his team simply stops thinking and shifts into a gear with a sole purpose: “We just do what is necessary at that moment.”

Minnesota entered that mode in the third quarter of its critical Game 3 victory.

The Lakers buried four triples over the final five and a half minutes of the frame, and yet Minnesota’s lead didn’t shift an inch in the aggregate. Because everything Los Angeles did via its shotmaking was offset by what the Wolves produced via hustle and grit.

Minnesota produced four buckets over a three-minute span near the end of the third quarter in a stretch that defined who this team is when it’s at its best.

Three minutes of Timberwolves, described in four plays:

No. 1: DiVincenzo’s tip in

Minnesota led 72-70 with just north of five minutes to play in the third quarter when Jaden McDaniels missed a turnaround, mid-range jumper. But Donte DiVincenzo , who struggled from the field Friday, soared in for a tip-in bucket.

Luka Doncic , who defended McDaniels well on the play, threw his hands in the air at the play’s conclusion.

No. 2: Ant’s steal and dunk

With the Wolves up 74-72, Anthony Edwards and McDaniels both missed 3-point tries on a Wolves possession, which seemingly ended with a Luka Doncic defensive rebound.

But rather than retreating on defense, Edwards snuck around the backside to poke the ball away from Doncic. It ricocheted back to the Wolves’ star guard, who first retreated to the corner before identifying an open path to the bucket.

He went at Doncic with a head of steam and finished a flush.

No. 3: Gobert’s steal to McDaniels’ finish

Doncic’s game-winning triple in last year’s West Finals lives forever in two places: social media and the nightmares of Wolves’ fans.

But Gobert exacted a smidge of revenge with Minnesota leading 77-75. He was again isolated against Doncic on the perimeter, and when Doncic went to gather the ball for a jumper, Gobert poked the ball away.

McDaniels scooped up the loose ball and raced down the floor, scoring a bucket while being fouled in transition.

No. 4: Alexander-Walker’s poke-away

Leading 80-78, Julius Randle’s 3-point attempt misfired and Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt scooped up the board.

But Nickeil Alexander-Walker pinned Vanderbilt to the baseline and poked the ball away and collected possession.

He delivered a shovel pass to Randle, who tallied the and-1 finish.

DiVincenzo said it was that stretch of plays that “changed the game” for Minnesota.

“Loose balls, just getting our hands on deflections, getting blocked shots, getting out in transition,” he said. “All those little plays that we’ve made throughout the course of the year for stints. It’s key for us in the playoffs. That’s what wins games, and that’s what won it for us (Friday). … Those hustle plays, those energy plays give us that edge and get us six, eight points. That’s the difference-maker.”

Conley described the plays as a combination of high IQ and effort. When they’re making those efforts and producing something from them, “I think that’s when we’re at our best.”

They’re plays of desperation, in all the best ways. The mere thought of losing drives the Wolves to a place of urgency that can often not be matched by the opponent over the course of a contest.

Then they play that way, they eventually will wear you down.

“Our team is built that way. It’s a 12-round fight with us every time. It’s not going to be easy,” Conley said. “We’re going to be physical. We’re going to throw a bunch of different lineups and a bunch of different bodies at you. That’s been an advantage for us all season long. Especially now in the playoffs, we want to try to just be the team that wants it just a little bit more on every possession. If we can do that, we can find ways to win.”

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Meet the tattoo artists creating a movement among Timberwolves fans

Dane Mizutani / Pioneer Press — Sun, 27 Apr 2025 02:26:51 GMT

In the middle of a session this week, tattoo artist JC Stroebel stopped for a second to reflect on how he unknowingly started a movement among Timberwolves fans.

“All I did was tweet, and then over 500 people made it a big deal,” Stroebel said. “There were so many people that showed up, and I feel like that’s the story, right?”

That’s certainly where the story started roughly a year ago, when Stroebel fired off a tweet saying he would tattoo the words Naz Reid on anybody that wanted it. It almost immediately took on a life of its own among Timberwolves fans, and essentially overnight Stroebel and fellow local tattoo artist Jesse George found themselves booked solid.

Not that the lifelong Timberwolves fans were complaining. They were thrilled to play a small part in helping memorialize a deep playoff run that ended with the Timberwolves falling to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals.

Now, with the Timberwolves hosting the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, Stroebel and George are back at it again. They recently hosted an event at Beloved Studios in Roseville where they are both finishing up an apprenticeship.

Together, Stroebel and George came up with a variety of options for the occasion, from a legitimate portrait of Jaden McDaniels to a small illustration of an ant in honor of Anthony Edwards.

“We sat down and had a meeting like, ‘What would we want as fans ourselves?’ ” Stroebel said. “We’re going to have a new flash sheet every year with new tattoos, so it’ll be cool for people to be able to collect them.”

Though neither Stroebel nor George were sure how many people were going to show up at Beloved Studios, they were blown away by the response as Timberwolves fans packed the parking lot and lined up outside before the doors even opened.

“It was such a whirlwind for us last year, and we were kind of just going with it,” George said. “We actually had expectations this year, so we were a little bit nervous to see how it was all going to turn out.”

The first customer for Stroebel was Neesha Moore. She’s been a Timberwolves fan pretty much since she was born and takes a lot of pride in the collage on her upper thigh that includes the “Naz Reid” tattoo from last year.

“Just to be able to look down and know it’s a part of me is really cool,” Moore said. “Even if I’ve always known it’s a part of me, now everybody can see it.”

The first customer for George was Nolan Peterson. He has been a Timberwolves fan for as long as he can remember and has slowly been working on a leg sleeve ever since getting his “Naz Reid” tattoo last year.

“It’s a piece of art that brings me back to a memory,” Peterson said. “I’ll still be able to look back in like 10 years or 15 years and be like, ‘That was a fun time in my life.’ ”

That might be the coolest part about these tattoos. They basically freeze this moment in time for Timberwolves fans who have been waiting so long for their favorite team to rise to this level.

That helps explain why so many people have gravitated to Stroebel and George and their shared mission.

As the waiting room continued to fill up during the event at Beloved Studios, it was all hands on deck with a number of other artists helping Stroebel and George get the job done. They ended up doing 58 tattoos on Friday, and were on pace to do similar numbers on Saturday.

“I’m so freaking thankful that people showed up,” Stroebel said. “We had no clue what to expect. The most predominant feeling for me is gratitude. It’s an honor to be a part of.”

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John Sutherland earns All-NSIC Second Team honor

Pioneer Staff Report — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 18:44:08 GMT

BEMIDJI — Bemidji State men’s basketball senior forward John Sutherland earned his third-straight All-NSIC honor for the 2024-2025 season, as announced by the conference Thursday morning.

Sutherland, who became the program’s leading rebounder Wednesday against St. Cloud State, sat out just under half of the team’s contests this season due to injury.

This injury did not set him back too far, as he returned just before winter break and quickly rose in the program’s record books, ending his senior season in first place for career rebounds, second in scoring and fifth in assists.

This season, Sutherland appeared in 17 games, marking 15 starts and 576 minutes on the court. He went 118-202 from the field for a shooting percentage of .584. Sutherland added 124 total rebounds, averaging 7.3 per game, and 75 assists for 4.4 per game. Adding five blocks and 15 steals, he finished the season with 271 points, averaging 15.9 per game.

Following his graduation from Bemidji State, Sutherland plans to return to his hometown of Grand Rapids and begin a career in finance.

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Beavers’ final push comes up just short in 1st-round NSIC Tournament loss to Huskies

Pioneer Staff Report — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 04:43:59 GMT

ST. CLOUD — Halfway through the second frame, the Beavers’ odds were looking grim.

The 12th-seeded Bemidji State men’s basketball team had let its 31-29 halftime lead slip away, trailing five-seeded St. Cloud State 51-37 in the first round of the NSIC Tournament.

But with the season on the line, BSU got hot.

Sophomore guard John Pecarich nailed a 3-point basket, followed up a couple of possessions later by a layup from senior John Sutherland. After a quick layup from the Huskies, Pecarich splashed a 2-point jumper and Sutherland converted on another drive to the basket. SCSU grabbed a point at the free-throw line before senior guard Daxton Dayley knocked down a triple.

Junior guard Jareon Mayo kept the baskets coming with a tip-in, and with 4:24 left on the clock, senior guard/forward Malang Athian made a 2-point jumper to cap off a stellar 16-3 run for Bemidji State. The Beavers only trailed by one point, 54-53.

Less than a minute later, Pecarich answered SCSU point at the free throw line with a 3-point basket, giving BSU its first lead since the opening seconds of the second half.

However, the hosting Huskies battened down the hatches, retaking a 60-56 lead with a layup and trio of free throws. Junior guard Tate Olson finished a tough layup at the cup to bring Bemidji State within one possession, but St. Cloud State clung to its thin lead in the final two minutes.

The Huskies made their free throws down the stretch and allowed just one 2-point basket from their opponents, fending off the Beavers for a 68-60 victory and a berth to the NSIC Tournament quarterfinals.

Sutherland had quite the game, scoring a team-high 20 points and grabbing 16 boards off the glass, becoming Bemidji State’s all-time rebounding leader in the process. Pecarich was the only other Beaver to finish a double-digit point total, tallying 10.

BSU officially ends the 2024-25 season with a 10-19 overall record, 7-15 in conference play.

St. Cloud State 68, Bemidji State 60

BSU 31 29 — 60

SCSU 29 39 — 68

Bemidji State — Sutherland 20, Pecarich 10, Olson 9, Dayley 8, Athian 6, Mayo 4, Severts 3. Totals: 25-60 FGs, 5-19 3-pt. FGs, 5-9 FTs.

St. Cloud State — Hawks 18, Philippe 13, Morgan 12, Dahl 12, Winkel 11, Marks III 2. Totals: 19-55 FGs, 6-23 3-pt. FGs, 24-30 FTs.

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From transfer to NSIC star, John Sutherland found his home at Bemidji State

Alex Faber — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 18:40:52 GMT

John Sutherland didn’t choose Bemidji State out of high school.

There was certainly plenty of mutual interest, though. Sutherland was a standout at Grand Rapids High ��, averaging 32.1 points and 13.3 rebounds per game as a senior. He was in contact with head coach Mike Boschee, drawn to the program for its history of successful bigs and the proximity to home.

When it came down to decision time, the Beavers were near the top of his choices. But in the end, he wound up picking Minnesota Duluth .. for about a year.

Sutherland averaged 3.3 points and 2.6 rebounds in the 12 games he played with the Bulldogs his freshman season. However, Sutherland decided to enter the portal and head down the road to the other school he nearly selected out of high school: BSU.

“It was close to home again,” Sutherland said. “They also had a lot of good bigs here, like Derek Thompson and other good bigs they’ve had here, so I wanted to come here and learn from them. I think it was a great spot for me, and the coaches seemed really nice.”

A few years later, that decision seems to have been the right one. Sutherland is wrapping up his fourth season with the Bemidji State men’s basketball program. In that time, he’s collected a host of accolades, including two straight NSIC First Team nods.

“I just got comfortable here,” Sutherland said. “The coaches made sure that I was super welcome and I just really enjoyed it here. And it’s only an hour from my house, so my whole family comes. My grandparents come to every game, I usually have almost my whole family here.”

“He’s not only a good basketball player, he’s a good guy, good kid,” Boschee said. “He’s a good teammate, he’s fun to have around, he’s fun to coach. And obviously, a really good basketball player that has done a lot of really good things for us. A couple years of all-conference – it’s hard to be all-conference. If you’re fortunate to coach one of them, it's a blessing. So on and off the court, he’s been tremendous for the program.”

Sutherland’s senior season with the Beavers has come with some road bumps, namely missing the beginning weeks of this season due to injury.

But with a bid to the NSIC tournament as the No. 12 seed, Sutherland’s career didn’t come to an end when Bemidji State ended the regular season with a Senior Day loss to Minnesota Duluth.

In Wednesday’s first-round matchup against fifth-seeded St. Cloud State, the star big has at one last one more opportunity to showcase the player he’s become at Bemidji State.

“(The senior season) definitely flew by,” Sutherland said. “I was hurt for the first eight weeks or so with a broken foot, so it made it fly by super fast, but it’s been good to be back healthy for the last stretch here. … It’s just great to have one more game, at least, in the postseason for sure.”

An immediate impact

It didn’t take long for Sutherland to start producing when he transferred to Bemidji State.

After playing just 12 games with Minnesota Duluth off the bench as a freshman, Sutherland started in all 24 games he played with the Beavers the following season.

On a roster with talented big men like Derek Thompson and Dalton Albrecht, Sutherland still managed to stick out, averaging 10.3 points (good for the fourth-highest average on the team) and 5.7 rebounds (third-highest) per game. He also finished the year with 14 blocks, tied for the team-high.

“The coaches here just put me in great spots,” Sutherland said. “Boschee found where I like to play from, where I play my best basketball. … I always just try to be me when I go out there, I guess. Coaches put me in spots for me to just play how I play, and I just play off my teammates well.”

Sutherland just kept developing. In his second season at Bemidji State, he ended the year averaging 19.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, leading the team in both categories.

The stellar season wound up with his first all-conference accolade as he was named to the First Team. He also notched a trio of NSIC North Division Player of the Week awards through the regular season.

“I don’t know if it’s anything we did,” Boschee said. “Most kids that work hard or competitively have some talent, they’re going to get better as times goes on, as long as they stick with it and keep working at it, keep working at the games and seeing their flaws and are being honest with themselves in ways that they can be better, and he’s one of those guys.”

Sutherland’s game had crystallized: a big who could get tough finishes at the rim, create all sorts of shots for himself in the paint with the ability to kick it out to teammates if defenses collapsed in too hard.

“He really didn’t do a lot of outside shooting or free throw shooting or anything like that, he just did it with a lot of toughness,” Boschee said. “Really good one-on-one player, he could isolate, he can get into the paint and get a shot off for himself pretty much anytime. And then he’s also a really good passer and a willing passer. So a lot of good stuff, a lot of it’s work, a lot of it’s just maturation process for kids that love the game, want to get better.”

The 2023-24 season continued in a similar fashion for Sutherland. He led BSU in assists (113) and scoring average (20 points per game), finding plenty of success playing alongside Albrecht. Albrecht could shoot the three as a 6-foot-7 forward, creating a lethal one-two punch on the court for the Beavers that caused havoc for opposing defenses.

Sutherland wound up earning his second All-NSIC First Team award in his third year at BSU, as well as a spot on the D2CCA All-Central Region Second Team.

“He’s just someone that has some talent,” Boschee said. “Obviously we’ve put him in situations where he could be successful, but you’ve got to be good. He was good, and he wanted to get better, that’s what it comes down to.”

Sutherland’s 4th-year campaign

With Albrecht graduating, Sutherland went into the 2024-25 as the Beavers’ “guy.” There were certainly other solid players across the court.

Tate Olson was back after illustrating plenty of promise as a sophomore, and the offseason addition of Malang Athian seemed poised to give the program a boost. But Sutherland was clearly the essential piece to the puzzle as Bemidji State’s go-to player at the five.

“Dalton was a three 3-point shooter, maybe guarded the fives, but Johns always kind of been our five-man, so to speak,” Boschee said. “Since he’s not as big as Dalton was last year, Dalton guarded the fives a little bit, John guarded more the fours, and this year he’s going back and forth. Like I said, if you don’t shoot it very well on the perimeter, usually going to be doing a lot of stuff inside.”

Again, this fourth go-around with BSU hasn’t gone exactly as planned, thanks to the early-season injury. But since Dec. 19, Sutherland's been active in nearly every game. He already leads the team in average points per game with 15.7, and he’s grabbing 6.8 boards per game (good for the second-highest average on the team).

Sutherland has also already racked up 73 assists, which is second only to Olson’s 80 — and Olson has played in 12 more games.

“He just gets so much attention,” Boschee said. “He’s probably played 13, 15 fewer games than everybody else, but his assists are probably towards the top. He’s more than just a scorer, he can find people, and he has to because of the way people keep guarding him.”

With the regular season in the rearview and win-or-go-home basketball officially on the slate, Sutherland seems to be back in the swing of things, comfortable and ready cap off his senior season with Bemidji State in the postseason.

“My first four or five weeks after I came back, I was still hurting,” Sutherland said. “But now everything’s feeling good, so I'm feeling great for the playoffs. … Over the last 14 games, I’d say we definitely built a lot more chemistry. With me being out the first eight or nine games, it was definitely different once I came back, it kind of changes our offense. I feel like we’re in a great spot right now.”

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Beavers’ regular season ends with Senior Day loss to Bulldogs

Pioneer Staff Report — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 04:35:16 GMT

BEMIDJI — The regular season is in the rearview mirror for the Bemidji State men’s basketball team.

The Beavers (10-18) suffered a 87-55 loss to Minnesota Duluth on Senior Day, ending the regular season on a four-game losing streak. The Bulldogs firmly outscored BSU in both halves, entering the locker room with a 41-27 lead and closing with a 46-28 showing in the second frame.

Only two players reached double-digit point totals for Bemidji State. Sophomore guard John Pecarich led the way with 11 points, while senior forward/guard Malang Athian collected 10.

The Beavers’ postseason kicks off on Feb. 26 when they travel to St. Cloud State in the opening round of the NSIC tournament.

Minnesota Duluth 87, Bemidji State 55

UMD 41 46 — 87

BSU 27 28 — 55

Minnesota Duluth — C. Katona 20, Hanson 17, Andrews 14, Brown 8, Johnson 7, N. Katona 6, Paulson 6, Thompson 4, Lahti 3, Montgomery 2. Totals: 31-63 FGs, 8-26 3-pt. FGs, 17-18 FTs.

Bemidji State — Pecarich 11, Athian 10, Olson 9, Patterson 9, Sutherland 8, Dayley 3, Severts 3, Josephson 2. Totals: 20-52 FGs, 9-30 3-pt. FGs, 6-12 FTs.

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Beavers suffer defeat as defense struggles to slow No. 24 Golden Bears

Pioneer Staff Report — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 07:19:43 GMT

BEMIDJI — The Beavers didn’t have a hard time putting up points Friday night at the BSU Gymnasium.

Sophomore guard John Pecarich and senior John Sutherland were highly effective, scoring 27 and 26 points, respectively. Senior guard/forward Malang Athian and junior guard Tate Olson also pitched in, collecting 11 points apiece.

However, on the other end of the court, BSU struggled to contend with Concordia-St. Paul’s offense.

The Golden Bears (20-7) had four players finish with 14 or more points in their 100-86 victory over Bemidji State (10-17), led by Antwan Kimmons’ 27.

The Beavers will wrap up their regular season against Minnesota Duluth Saturday afternoon at the BSU Gymnasium.

Concordia-St. Paul 100, Bemidji State 86

CSP 54 46 — 100

BSU 47 39 — 86

Concordia-St. Paul — Kimmons 27, Kopetzki 19, Skeete 16, Patterson 14, Kellogg 8, Meyer 8, Sluice 6, Kloss 2. Totals: 39-81 FGs, 11-29 3-pt. FGs, 11-15 FTs

Bemidji State — Pecarich 27, Sutherland 26, Athian 11, Olson 11, Larson 3, Severts 2, Patterson 2, Fairbanks 2, Josephson 2. Totals: 34-68 FGs, 6-19 3-pt. FGs, 12-16 FTs.

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From a spark off the bench to point guard, John Pecarich has earned his way into Beavers’ starting 5

Alex Faber — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 17:32:00 GMT

Point guard isn’t an overly familiar position for John Pecarich.

During his time with the Brainerd High �� boys basketball team, Pecarich would occasionally step in to run the point, but he often found himself slotted into the starting five as the shooting guard.

Last season – Pecarich’s freshman year with the Bemidji State men’s basketball team – offered plenty of learning opportunities for the guard coming off the bench, but it did not include any time orchestrating the offense.

His sophomore campaign was shaping up to be a similar story, that is, until the last few weeks. Pecarich’s undeniable production off the bench has propelled him into BSU’s starting lineup, and now head coach Mike Boschee has entrusted the Brainerd product with the keys to the offense as the point guard.

“First time I’ve done it since high school,” Pecarich said. “Big leap for sure. I can pick up full courts, a new experience for me every time I’m involved, but I’m getting better at it. I feel like I’m better at taking pressure.”

Off the bench

Pecarich wrapped up his freshman year at Bemidji State averaging 4.6 points and 12.6 minutes per game with zero starts to his name.

His first two games of the 2024-25 season told the same story: a solid, young player coming off the bench and developing more comfort with the collegiate level. Pecarich played a combined 14 minutes through the Beavers’ first couple of matchups, tallying just six points.

It was the third game of the season when something seemed to click for Pecarich. In Bemidji State’s 96-72 win over Valley City State, he provided a massive spark off the bench, nailing six 3-pointers and winding up with a team-high 24 points, eclipsing his previous career best of 12.

Pecarich’s shooting ability had been on full display at Brainerd. In that victory on Nov. 13 with the Beavers, though, he proved that he could still rip it from beyond the arc at the collegiate level, and even provide the occasional slick drive to the cup.

“He’s always been a really good shooter,” Boschee said. “In high school, he might've had more opportunities to drive to the hole and those kinds of things. The talent level is not quite as good as a Division II level, but he’s still sneaky with it. He can still get in there once and a while and make plays for himself and his teammates.”

Pecarich followed up his hitherto career-best with another strong showing off the bench, shooting 3 for 5 from 3 and grabbing 14 points against Minnesota Morris less than a week later.

The sophomore guard cooled down a bit through the rest of November and most of December, save for a 19-point night against Minnesota State Moorhead on Dec. 14.

However, through the first few weeks of January, that fiery scoring ability from the bench reappeared. Pecarich dropped double-digit point totals thrice from Jan. 10-18, continuing to demonstrate his near-top-end ability to shoot the 3 and produce points.

“First year here, I was a little nervous for a little bit,” Pecarich said. “I didn’t play my best. And now I think I put in a lot of work in the offseason, getting bigger, stronger, just better. … I feel like every person you play (in college) is going be a good player, so it just makes you work hard, makes you 10 times better.”

On Jan. 24, Pecarich was thrust into the starting lineup for the first time at BSU. He bagged four 3-pointers and 16 points, logging 35 minutes on the court.

Since then, he’s been in the starting lineup every night.

“It’s more of just him producing,” Boschee said. “I think he was comfortable in that role coming off the bench, but over time if you keep playing well, you start developing that trust with your teammates and with the coaches. He got his opportunity and he didn’t look back.”

As it stands, Pecarich is averaging 11 points per game (BSU’s third-highest average) and is shooting 42.9% from beyond the arc, the highest percentage among Beavers who have more than 12 attempts.

“JP’s always been a little bit of a gamer,” Boschee said. “The things that struggled with him early on is probably the size, the strength a little bit. He’s still pretty slight of build, but he’s got game and that translates all the time. If you can put the ball in the hoop, if you add a little flavor into your game, score multiple ways, you know you’ve got a chance. He’s been shooting it very well, he’s been taking really good shots, he’s very unselfish and so it’s cool to watch him go out there and play well.”

Getting comfortable at the point

Pecarich’s jump in playing time has come with increased responsibilities. For the first time since high school, he’s shifted from shooting guard to point guard.

Though there’s still room to grow while guiding the offense at the collegiate level, Pecarich continues to illustrate his ability to produce. On Feb. 15, he scored a career-high 28 points, collecting six 3-pointers and continuing to improve his scoring ability at the rim.

“Just have to go out there, have confidence, and then play with confidence,” Pecarich said. “Do the best you can and make sure it works out well. … It just shows that I’m more than just a shooter. Defenses have to respect me from more than just the 3-point line.”

Pecarich’s play at the point has also opened up the floor for teammates, creating spacing issues for defenses trying to gameplan against the Beavers.

“We need a guy like him to be able to shoot 3s and keep the floor spaces and not allow defenses to help off of him,” Boschee said. “It’s kind of nice when teams are trying to shut him down from three a little bit because that does give other people the opportunity to have more space and more room and more opportunities for others.”

There’s still a lot of work ahead as Pecarich becomes acquainted with his newfound position. Besides the obvious – becoming acquainted with the full-court game, pushing and guiding the offense, etc. — there’s a physical aspect of the position that could be improved.

Pecarich is tall for a guard at 6-foot-3 , but he still has a slighter frame. Added weight and muscle could be a huge asset in the offseason, especially in driving the net and defending around the perimeter.

“He’s still got a lot of growth,” Boschee said. “The point guard spot is not an easy position to play and I think he’s got a lot of growth there. But again, it's that he needs to continue to improve his body, get in that weight room so he can go against anybody in the league, whether they’re big or strong or quick or athletic and he can still fund success.”

“I’m still undersized in my weight, I need to get stronger,” Pecarich said. “I feel like if I put 10, 15 more pounds on, come back next year, I think I can be way better. … Because right now I’m taller than most point guards, but they probably weigh more than me so I can’t do much with my frame against them.”

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John Pecarich tallies career-high 28 points; Beavers suffer loss to Wildcats

Pioneer Staff Report — Sun, 16 Feb 2025 00:15:53 GMT

WAYNE, Neb. — On Friday night, the Beavers came rallying back against Augustana in the second half and fell just a few points short of completing the comeback.

Saturday afternoon in Wayne, Neb., the Bemidji State men’s basketball team put together another impressive second-half effort, though it came far too late to offer any hope of a win.

BSU trailed 51-24 heading into the locker room at halftime. Though the Beavers managed to chip away at the lead in the second frame, the Wildcats were still ahead 77-62 with less than two minutes left on the clock.

Senior guard Daxton Dayley nailed a pair of 3-point shots and a layup to draw Bemidji State within seven, but with just 36 seconds on the clock, it was too little, too late.

Wayne State (16-11) came away with a 78-73 win (10-16), handing BSU its second-straight loss.

Sophomore guard John Pecarich was stellar in the loss, nailing six 3-pointers and finishing with a team-high and career-high 28 points. Junior guard Tate Olson pitched in with a double-double, scoring 17 points and tacking on 10 rebounds.

Dayley was the last Beaver to finish with a double-digit point total, collecting 15.

Wayne State 78, Bemidji State 73

BSU 24 49 — 73

WSC 51 27 — 78

Bemidji State — Pecarich 28, Olson 17, Dayley 15, Sutherland 9, Severts 4. Totals: 25-52 FGs, 11-26 3-pt. FGs, 12-18 FTs.

Wayne State — Saunders 20, McCullough 13, Ferrin 13, Stokes 11, Noll 7, Smith 6, Erickson 5, Blum 3. Totals: 27-55 FGs, 13-31 3-pt. FGs, 11-19 FTs.

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Beavers’ 2nd-half rally falls 3 points short in road loss to Vikings

Pioneer Staff Report — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 04:48:52 GMT

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Things weren’t looking great for the Beavers early in the second half.

The Bemidji State men’s basketball trailed Augustana 39-26 heading into intermission. The Vikings came out of the locker room and increased their advantage, holding a 17-point lead over BSU with just over 12 minutes left in the game.

Then, the Beavers came storming back. Senior guard Jalen Patterson splashed a 3-point shot that seemed to light the offense on fire. Following Patterson’s triple, BSU embarked on a 16-2 run to draw within one point, behind just 56-55 with less than six minutes to go.

It was a battle down the stretch, as Augustana continued to cling onto its thin lead. With less than a minute to go, senior guard/forward Malang Athian nailed a couple of free throws to, again, make it a one-point game.

However, with 26 seconds left, AU’s Sam Rensch nailed a 2-point jumper. Bemidji State (10-15) couldn’t find the game-tying 3-pointer in the waning seconds of the game, sealing a 67-64 victory for the Vikings (11-15).

Patterson and Athian led the scoring for the Beavers, collecting 15 points apiece. Sophomore guard John Pecarich was next up, tallying 13 points. Junior guard Tate Olson was the last player for BSU to finish with a double-digit point total, grabbing 11.

Augustana 67, Bemidji State 64

BSU 26 38 — 64

AU 39 28 — 67

Bemidji State — Athian 15, Patterson 15, Pecarich 13, Olson 11, Dayley 8, Severts 2. Totals: 21-58 FGs, 13-31 3-pt. FGs, 9-9 FTs.

Augustana — Rensch 17, Ferguson 16, Akoi 14, Fried 9, Te Slaa 8, Coleman 2, Hastreiter 1. Totals: 26-56 FGs, 7-19 3-pt. FGs, 8-13 FTs.

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