Boyceville drops pair of holiday games in Clayton

CLAYTON — There were no holiday treats for the Boyceville boys’ basketball squad last week as it dropped a pair of games at the annual Clayton Classic to remain winless on the season.

 The host Clayton Bears rolled out the red holiday carpet Monday, December 28 and then proceeded to overwhelm Boyceville for a 19-point first-half lead and an eventual 70-43 win. The next day yielded similar results for Bulldogs who surrendered 70 points to an opponent for the second time in as many days and were again outscored in both halves as well as heavily out rebounded in a 70-53 loss to Northwood of Minong Tuesday, December 29.

Boyceville is currently 0-7 after the first month of hardwood action.

Clayton

Senior Hunter Anderson dumped in 18 points during Boyceville’s tournament opener against host Clayton.

But the offensive performance was overshadowed by the Bears duo of Brandon Christianson and Cameron Bodsberg, who combined to score 51 of Clayton’s 70 points. Christian netted 29 points and Bodsberg tallied 22 as the Bears built a 42-23 halftime advantage.

Anderson scored 12 of his team-leading 18 points in the first half of play but it was not enough as Boyceville trailed by 19 points at the break. Anderson had four deuces, a free throw and a three pointer.

But just three other Bulldogs made the first-half scorebook.

Sam Hellmann (two free throws and a bucket) and Luke Knudtson (two hoops) had four points each and Micadin Kahl sank a triple.

The Bulldogs played better defensively in the second half but still could not get the offense on track and committed 14 turnovers in the 70-43 loss.

Anderson scored six points in the second half, Hellmann tallied five to finish with nine points and Knudtson and Bryce Boda netted four each in the latter frame to finish with eight and four points respectively.

Northwood

They say that games are won or lost on the free throw line.

That was clearly evident when the Boyceville took on Minong in Northwood in its second and final game at the Clayton Classic Tuesday, December 29.

The Evergreens shot 30 free throws in the contest and made 18. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, made just two of its four charity tosses. Minong shot 20 free throws in the second half alone and made 11.

The disparity in free tosses attempted and made was the difference in Boyceville’s 70-53 loss to Northwood.

In addition, Northwood held a massive 43-21 advantage on the boards and did not turn the ball over once while Boyceville lost it nine times.

The Evergreens outscored the Bulldogs by ten, 38-28, in the first half and 32-25 in the second for the 17-point win.

Seven Bulldogs found scores in the losing effort including two in double digits. Bryce Boda tallied 13 points to lead Boyceville and Sam Hellmann chipped in for ten. Hunter Anderson added nine, Luke Knutson finished with eight and Cooper Boesl scored six.

Five Northwood players had double-digit scores in the game. Ryan Volz led all players with 15 points. Teammates Tyler Budisalovich, Matt Benson and Brandon Daleiden netted a dozen points apiece and Ryan Hill finished with ten for the victors.

Randy Fosberg had ten boards for the Evergreens and Volz grabbed nine while Luke Knudtson, who had a third of the Bulldogs’ rebounds, finished with seven.

Boyceville returns to conference action this Friday, January 8 when it hosts Elk Mound. It will then play at Stanley-Boyd the next day (Jan. 9) in a double-header with the girls’ team. The Bulldogs return home to host St. Croix Central in a non-conference tilt on Monday, January 11.