Boys Basketball: Chase Thompson's big night helps No. 7 Alexandria top Bemidji

ALEXANDRIA - The Alexandria boys basketball team came into Friday night's tilt against the Bemidji Lumberjacks in search of a solid bounce back.

Alexandria had lost its last two games and scored a season-low 57 points in a 10-point loss to St. Cloud Tech on Thursday.

Thanks in large part to a 30-point night from sophomore Chase Thompson, who led the Cardinals in scoring, the Cardinals got back in the win column with a 79-73 win on Friday at home over the Lumberjacks.

"We really work well together as a team," Thompson said. "We came back together in this, worked together, and we got the W. This win is going to really help us in the locker room, and it's going to help us bring up the morale."

Thompson got the offense going for the Cardinals (13-4) in the first half with four made three-pointers and 20 of Alexandria's 36 points at halftime.

"My guys were setting me up," Thompson said. "It helps them get open too."

With Thompson's 20 points at the half, the Cardinals led 36-34 at halftime against the Lumberjacks.

Thompson knocked down a total of five three-pointers in Alexandria's win.

"I remember when I was little going to all the Witt's basketball camps to work on my form, but now it's probably my best trait as a basketball player," Thompson said about his three-point shooting ability. "I have so much confidence shooting the ball, and I love shooting the ball. I get in the gym a lot."

Thompson's big outing was supported by a 16-point outing by junior Grayson Grove.

Sam Stuve / Alexandria Echo Press

Grove played a great role in maintaining Alexandria's halftime lead, as he scored 13 points after being held to just three points in the first half.

The Cardinals led by as much as 13 points in the second half (57-44, 11:20 left in the game), but the Lumberjacks made a bit of a comeback.

The Lumberjacks (12-8) cut the Cardinals' lead all the way down to three points, 67-64, with three and a half minutes left in the game.

But big plays down the stretch, including a pair of clutch free throws and a lay-in by senior Trevin Hoepner while being fouled, helped the Cardinals pull out the 79-73 win on Friday.

Sam Stuve / Alexandria Echo Press

There was a big difference in three-point shooting for the Cardinals between Thursday's loss to St. Cloud Tech, the defending Section 8AAA champions, and Friday's win over Bemidji.

The Cardinals made just two three-pointers in the loss on Thursday but connected on 10 in Friday's win.

"I think we're a really good three-point shooting team, but we were held to less than 60 points in our last game," Thompson said. "And I also think that we were lacking a bit on the defensive end too. I think we'll get back to work and get it done."

The Cardinals also got to the free throw line more than the Lumberjacks did. The Cardinals earned 28 free throw attempts and made 19, while the Lumberjacks attempted just 16 and made just eight.

The Lumberjacks' leading scorer was senior Isaac Severts, who dropped 36 points on the night, while senior Ethan Biehn finished 14 points, and senior Dawson Lish finished with 11 points on Friday.

Along with Thompson's 30 points and Grove's 16 points, Alexandria had multiple players contribute on the offensive end of the floor as well.

Seniors Jaxon Schoenrock and Bralyn Steffensmeier each finished the night with eight points, while sophomore Mason Witt came off the bench and provided a huge spark with his 10 points on the night.

Thompson said that the team doesn't carry a single result with them for too long; getting a chance beat a good Bemidji team after a tough loss to St. Cloud Tech was something that the team enjoyed.

"It was honestly amazing," he said. "I really don't have a rearview mirror, but having this quick turnaround felt good."

1/4: Alexandria's Mason Witt (left) drives the ball to the hoop with Bemidji's Jaxon Boschee (right) in the Cardinals 79-73 win over Bemidji on Feb. 10, 2023. Witt had 10 points in the win.

2/4: Bemidji's Isaac Severts gets a shot up through contact in a game against Alexandria on Feb. 10, 2023. Severts had 36 points in the game, but Alexandria had a 79-73 win.

3/4: Bemidji's Dawson Lish dribbles the ball in a game against Alexandria on Feb. 10, 2023. Alexandria won the game 79-73.

4/4: Alexandria's Mason Witt puts up a corner three in the second half of Alexandria's 79-73 win over Bemidji on Feb. 10, 2023.

Alexandria is ranked No. 7 in Class AAA in the Minnesota Basketball News Poll and No. 8 in the Class AAA QRF rankings on Minnesota-scores.net.

Alexandria is the highest-rated team in Section 8AAA on Minnesota-scores.net and is 8-1 in Section 8AAA games. St. Cloud Tech (11-8, 6-1 Section 8AAA) is just behind Alexandria in the section rankings, and both teams have a win over the other this season.

The Cardinals conclude a four-game homestand with a game against conference and section foe, the Willmar Cardinals (7-13), at 7:15 p.m. on Monday.

Alexandria beat Willmar on the road earlier this season on Feb. 3, 2023, by a score of 67-33 in Willmar.

Bemidji - 34 39 - 73

Alexandria - 36 43 - 79

ALEXANDRIA SCORING - Chase Thompson, 30 points; Grayson Grove, 16 points; Mason Witt, 10 points; Jaxon Schoenrock, 8 points; Bralyn Steffensmeier, 8 points, Trevin Hoepner, 4 points; Talan Witt, 3 points

BEMIDJI SCORING - Isaac Severts, 36 points; Ethan Biehn, 14 points; Dawson Lish; 11 points; Matthew Matheney, 6 points; Quinten Yeung, 4 points, Daniel Clusiau, 3 points