BEMIDJI 鈥� Jaxon Boschee is one of just 10 Bemidji High 歪歪漫画 boys basketball players in the program's history to reach 1,000 points.
He did it as a junior.
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Before Friday evening鈥檚 tilt against Buffalo, Boschee and his teammates took to the court to recognize the accomplishment in a quick celebration featuring a banner and a quartet of silver balloons spelling out his impressive milestone.
鈥淚 guess not a lot of people get there in their career, so to get there, it was really cool,鈥� Boschee said. 鈥淭o have my team celebrate it with me, it was a special moment.鈥�
Boschee eclipsed 1,000 points last Saturday against Delano. On Friday at the BHS Gymnasium, Boschee tacked on 25 more points to his career total as the Lumberjacks fell to the Bison, 75-49.
鈥淚t鈥檚 incredible for him to do it as a junior,鈥� head coach Steve Thompson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a credit to the work that he puts in, in-season, out-of-season. When no one else is willing to work, he鈥檚 willing to work. 鈥� He鈥檚 developing into a great leader and he understands that it鈥檚 going to take all of us to be successful.鈥�
That major scoring benchmark and future milestones were not on the forefront of Boschee鈥檚 mind, though. The junior guard is less focused on personal goals and more concerned with helping BHS achieve regular-season and postseason success.
鈥淛ust trying to win games, and then whatever happens, happens,鈥� Boschee said. 鈥淚 want to go to state sometime this year or next year, hopefully as soon as possible this year. 鈥� Always kind of have (the scoring record) in the back of my mind, which would be cool. Obviously, not the main focus, but it would be cool. The main focus is still trying to win as (many) games and then the section championship.鈥�
Friday鈥檚 loss to Buffalo was a tough one in 8-4A play, especially considering a first half that featured multiple lead changes and competitive back-and-forth tilt.
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However, if Boschee and the Jacks want to achieve some of those goals 鈥� especially in the postseason 鈥� they can draw some key lessons from the loss to the Bison.
鈥淲e have to realize that to win games in our section, we鈥檙e going to have to play a physical style and we鈥檙e going to have to match the energy that Buffalo brought tonight,鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淚 think they won in physicality and energy tonight, but those are controllables, so that鈥檚 something that we can fix the next time we step out on the floor.鈥�
鈥淵ou can always learn something,鈥� Boschee said. 鈥淚 think the main thing is when we play these good teams, especially teams like that, they were very physical with us. You鈥檝e just got to calm down and be ready to play physical back the whole game.鈥�
Bemidji started strong against Buffalo, capturing a 19-13 lead near the eight-minute mark of the first half after a 3-point shot from Boschee.
The Bison ripped off a 13-0 run to take control of the game and stayed in control down the stretch in the first half, heading into the locker room with a 37-29 lead over the Lumberjacks.
That momentum swing to end the first seemed to carry into the second frame, as the Bison just continued to add to their lead. Nine minutes into the second, Buffalo was in firm control at 50-35.
鈥淚n the second half, they did a good job of taking away some of our actions,鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淏ut really I thought the physicality that they played with kind of pushed us off our lines often and it stalled out our offense a little bit. 鈥� We were just a little out of control with the ball at times and we needed to play off of two feet more to be strong with the ball.鈥�
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The final 10 minutes belonged Buffalo. The Bison kept the scoring coming, ballooning their lead to 26 points by the time the final buzzer sounded.
鈥淲e were playing hard, we鈥檝e just got to sustain communication throughout the entire game,鈥� Boschee said. 鈥淥nce we get in a rough stretch where we鈥檙e not scoring and they鈥檙e scoring, we just gotta make sure everybody calms down, go back to our basics, which is talking on defense, moving the ball, just looking to play the right way.鈥�
Buffalo 75, Bemidji 49
BUF 37 38 鈥� 75
BHS 29 20 鈥� 49
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Buffalo 鈥� Hegle 19, T. Jordan 12, Cebulla 10, Friesz 8, Mueller 6, Kotilinek 6, Burkett 5, M. Jordan 4, Torgrimson 4, Tangen 1.
Bemidji 鈥� Boschee 25, Riewer 9, Huseby 6, McNallan 4, Snide 3, Zellman 2.
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