Blue Jays still alive: Both teams play state qualifiers today

The Jamestown boys and girls both entered Friday’s loser-out contests with losing streaks. Apparently the key to stopping them is pressure.

With their seasons on the line, the Blue Jay boys and girls each notched victories to extend their season into today, where they are both one victory away from qualifying for state.

The JHS boys held off Turtle Mountain 69-67 and the Blue Jay girls topped Dickinson 68-54.

Boys

With the season on the line, the Jamestown boys’ basketball team was able to keep it alive from the stripe.

The Blue Jays went 5-of-6 from the free-throw line in the final 40 seconds to hold off the Braves and advance to today’s state-qualifying game with Minot at 2:45 p.m.

Jordan Thoreson went 3-for-4 and Nate Willer hit the final two that proved to be the difference following a Turtle Mountain three at the buzzer.

The Blue Jays led by as many as 17 points in the first half, but a 24-11 run for the Braves in the final eight minutes cut Jamestown’s lead to just 40-36 at the break.

The Blue Jays (10-11) started the second half hot with six straight points but the Braves responded with six of their own to make it 46-42.

Turtle Mountain never led until midway through the second half when Tristan Kepler hit to put the Braves up 52-51.

Neither team was able build a lead larger than three points until Thoreson hit two free throws in the final minute.

Danny Fischer led the Blue Jays with 19 points and eight rebounds, while Thoreson tallied 18 points and eight boards.

Kansas Ree led the Turtle Mountain (7-14) scorers with 21 and Jacob Knife finished with 18.

Girls

Dickinson cut a once seven-point lead down to two points following back-to-back Jamestown turnovers.

In jeopardy of relinquishing the lead, Jamestown junior Kyra Dewald had something different planned.

The 5-foot-4 guard scored eight straight points for the Blue Jays, including a three from the left wing to help Jamestown jump out to a 54-46 lead.

Julie Fuchs got in on the action with a three of her own to push Jamestown’s lead to 10 points and the Midgets never recovered from there.

Dickinson cut the lead to five, but Jamestown kept the game out of reach with free throws.

The Blue Jays (8-13) will meet up with second-seeded Mandan today at 11 a.m. marking the second straight year the two teams will meet in a state-qualifier. Jamestown won last year’s contest 44-39.

Dewald paced the Blue Jays on Friday with 14 points, five steals and four assists, and Jade Lind posted 14 points. Paige Peterson was steady once again for Jamestown with 11 points and nine rebounds.

The Midgets (6-15) were led by Rachel Schroeder’s 18 points and 10 rebounds.

West Region Tournament

At Bismarck Civic Center

Boys

Jamestown 69, Turtle Mountain 67

Turtle Mountain 36 31 — 67

Jamestown 40 29 — 69

Turtle Mountain — Kansas Ree 21, Leo Belgarde 7, Jacob Knife 18, Charles LaRocque 14, John Slater 3, Tristan Keplin 4. Totals: 23 FG, 20-24 FT, Three-pointers: 1 (Knife), 39 Rebounds (LaRocque 11), 7 Assists, 13 Steals, 20 Turnovers, 20 Fouls (Slater, Belgarde).

Jamestown — Danny Fischer 19, Jacob Nieland 1, Dyllan Anderson 13, Nathan Willer 6, Jordan Thoreson 18, Ryan Schlenker 4, Arron Benson 3, Tyler Krenz 5. Totals: 25, 11-19 FT, Three-pointers: 8 (Fischer 4, Anderson 2, Benson, Thoreson), 42 Rebounds (Fischer 8, Thoreson 8), 7 Steals (Nieland 3), 14 Assists (Fischer 4, Anderson 4), 19 Turnovers, 18 Fouls (TF: Anderson).

Records: Turtle Mountain 7-14; Jamestown 10-11.

Girls

Jamestown 68, Dickinson 54

Dickinson 29 25 — 54

Jamestown 28 40 — 68

Dickinson — Sydney Gangl 5, Leslie Beaudoin 10, Ali Moody 10, Rachel Schroeder 18, Taylor Cooper 5, Riley Cooper 6. Totals: 18 FG, 14-19 FT, Three-pointers: 4 (R. Cooper 2, Gangl, Moody), 35 Rebounds (Schroeder 10), 11 Assists (Gangl 5), 10 Steals (Beaudoin 5), 26 Turnovers, 28 Fouls (IF: Moody).

Jamestown — Kyra Dewald 21, Jade Lind 14, Julie Fuchs 3, Paige Peterson 11, Kayla Thoele 11, Billie Buchanan 2. Totals: 19 FG, 26-36 FT, Three-pointers: 4 (Dewald 2, Lind, Fuchs), 37 Rebounds (Peterson 9), 14 Assists (Dewald 4), 20 Turnovers, 15 Fouls.

Records: Dickinson 6-15, Jamestown 8-13.

Tags: sports, basketball, jays