The Fertile-Beltrami Falcon Boys’ basketball team takes on the Blackduck Drakes at Ralph Englestad Arena in Thief River Falls. The game starts at Noon, and KROX will broadcast it following the Fertile-Beltrami vs. Blackduck girls’ game.
Fertile-Beltrami is 2-1 on the year after a 66-54 victory over Fosston on Thursday. Blackduck is 0-4 on the year after a 67-51 loss to Bagley on Monday.
FIRST HALF –
The first half was one for the record books as the Fertile-Beltrami Falcons didn’t allow a point in the half. They only allowed three total shots in the half. The game started with Bryer Strem making a three-pointer. Preston Hanson added a basket, Easton Petry made two free throws, Gage Henrickson scored back-to-back baskets in the paint, and Drew Gulleckson made a free throw for a 12-0 lead. Fertile-Beltrami used their size with Gullickson (6’7), Henrickson (6’5), and Hanson (6’5), causing problems with their size and length while running a zone defense while forcing Blackduck into a bunch of turnovers. Fertile-Beltrami kept their foot on the pedal as Hanson made back-to-back three-pointers, and Steven Sather added a three for a 21-0 lead with 9:39 left in the half. Strem continued the run with a basket, and Henrickson added a basket before Gullickson made three straight baskets for a 31-0 lead. Strem added a three-pointer, and Gullickson and Hanson added baskets before Henrickson finished off the half with a pair of baskets for a 42-0 lead at halftime.
SECOND HALF –
Fertile-Beltrami started the second half with a Hanson three-point play for a 45-0 lead. Finally, Blackduck was able to score when Max Lundberg made a basket in the paint with 16:44 left in the game to bring the Drakes within a 45-2 deficit. Fertile-Beltrami started a new run with Henrickson getting a rebound and putback, and after the Falcons took the starters out less than two minutes into the half (for the rest of the game), Kolby Hemmah, Matthew Leiser scored for a 51-2 lead. Blackduck’s Rocky Cook scored the second Drake basket of the game for a 51-4 deficit five minutes into the half. Fertile-Beltrami’s Leiser made a three-pointer, and Steven Sather added a free throw before Leiser added another three for a 58-4 lead. Blackduck’s Cook made a free throw before Caleb Sather scored seven straight points for a 65-5 lead halfway through the half. Fertile-Beltrami worked the ball around and was trying to take time off the clock, and when there were nine minutes left in the game, running time started. The final nine minutes went quickly and Caleb Sather continued to find openings against the Drake defense and added 10 more points, and Leiser added a basket and Fertile-Beltrami cruised to a 77-10 victory.
Fertile-Beltrami improves to 3-1 on the year and will play Sacred Heart on Monday. Blackduck drops to 0-5 on the year.
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Blackduck | 0 | 10 | 10 |
| Fertile-Beltrami | 42 | 35 | 77 |
| For Fertile-Beltrami | Points |
| Caleb Sather | 17 |
| Preston Hanson | 13 |
| Gage Henrickson | 12 |
| Matthew Leiser | 10 |
| Drew Gullickson | 9 |
| Bryer Strem | 8 |
| Steven Sather | 4 |
| Kolby Hemmah | 2 |
| Easton Petry | 2 |
| For Blackduck | Points |
| Rocky Cook | 3 |
| Colton Puffe | 3 |
| Evan Anderson | 2 |
| Max Lundberg | 2 |
