ALEXANDRIA - Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa senior star Brian Goodwin found a groove early Friday and that meant big trouble for Browerville in the Section 5A championship game at Alexandria High School.
Goodwin outscored the Tigers for a good part of the first half, including notching his 2,000th career point, and finished with 34 points as the top-ranked Jaguars cruised past Browerville 85-53 to get back to the state tournament.
BBE won its 21st straight game and will take an impressive 28-1 record into the Class A quarterfinals Thursday at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. The Jaguars will more than likely receive the top seed for the tournament Saturday morning from the coaches of the seven other qualifying teams. Game times for the first round are 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The potent Jaguars are geared for another prolonged appearance at state with Goodwin in the driver’s seat.
“The kids follow him and have complete confidence in him,” said BBE coach Dave Montbriand. “He has a great way of making everybody feel important. We go as he goes and if he plays like he did tonight at state, we’re unstoppable.”
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The Jaguars won the state title in 2012 after finishing second in 2011. They were upset in the Section 6A semifinals last year, something Goodwin says has motivated the team this year.
“After last year, that night, it was our goal to get back (to state),” said Goodwin on a postgame interview with KMGK 107.1 FM sports director Dave McClurg Friday.
Goodwin had 20 points at halftime, including 10 in a 17-0 run that gave the Jaguars a 26-8 lead midway through the first half. BBE held Browerville to just 7 field goals in the first half - three were from a trio of 3-pointers from its leading scorer Jordan Thielen - while making 20 itself, 9 alone from Goodwin. Thielen finished with 18 points, all on 3-pointers.
A jumper from the free throw line 6 minutes into the game produced Goodwin’s 2,000th career point. The guard became only the sixth boys player in the Tribune’s coverage area to reach the milestone.
BBE senior forward Billy Borgerding supplied another 14 points in the first half and finished with 17.
Thielen’s first 3-pointer produced the Tigers’ lone lead, 3-2, and there was only one tie, 5-5, in the game that was originally scheduled to be played in Crosby.
A 23-point cushion at halftime quickly ballooned to 29 as BBE opened the second half on a 6-0 run and the closest the Tigers got to BBE was 59-37 midway through the half.
Senior forward James Kuefler chipped in 13 points, 7 rebounds 5 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocks for BBE, which had 9 players score. Sophomore guard Tanner Heinsius added 9 points and his older brother Trey had 7 rebounds and 3 steals.
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“It was a team effort and we moved the ball well,” added Montbriand.
The Jaguars, who outscored their four section opponents by a combined 171 points, topped 80 points for the 12th time this season. They also beat Browerville 87-62 on Jan. 25 in Belgrade.
BBE 85, Browerville 53
Browerville (21-6) 22 31 - 53
BBE (28-1) 45 40 - 85
BROWERVILLE – 16-48 FG (10-31 3-pt); 11-15 FT; 18 rebounds; 12 fouls … Scoring: Trent Johnson 8, Jordan Thielen 18, Jackson Polak 1, Bryce Irsfeld 6, Grant Heid 1, Logan Knutson 2, Cody Hansmeyer 12, Trevor Johnson 5 … 3-point shots: Thielen 6, Trent Johnson 2, Irsfeld 1, Hansmeyer 1 … Rebound leaders: Irsfeld 6 … Assist leaders: Irsfeld 3 … Steal leaders: none
BELGRADE-BROOTEN-ELROSA – 36-65 FG (3-9 3-pt); 8-14 FT; 37 rebounds; 18 fouls … Scoring: Tanner Heinsius 9, Trey Heinsius 4, Brian Goodwin 34, Justin Schmitz 2, James Kuefler 13, Billy Borgerding 17, Alex Schumann 2, Dalon Bitzan 2, Jacob Tensen 2 … 3-point shots: Borgerding 2, Tanner Heinsius 1 … Rebound leaders: Trey Heinsius 7, Kuefler 7 … Assist leaders: Kuefler 5, Goodwin 4 … Steal leaders: Kuefler 4, Trey Heinsius 3 … Blocks: Kuefler 3
