I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.
Jan. 16, 1999
By Devlyn Brooks
If their first contest this season was any indication, today's BSU versus Moorhead State men's basketball game should be a crowd pleaser.
The Beavers took the first game 74-72 in overtime during the New Dodge Classic tournament held in Fargo in early December.
And the Beavers (6-9, 0-2 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) and Dragons (3-13, 0-2 NSIC have had many close battles, with BSU coach Daven Gunther holding a 5-6 record against the Dragons in his four-year tenure.
"We played them earlier in the year. So we know a lot about them," Gunther said. "They are much better than their record indicates."
That is not just coachspeak either. The Dragons posted an impressive 74-72 win over Northern Collegiate Conference powerhouse North Dakota this season.
In the first BSU/MSU matchup, the Dragons liked their fast break and proved they have a solid team, Gunther said.
"No. 43 Tunde Adelekan is very tough," he continued. "If he gets hot, he can really hurt you."
Adelekan, All-NSIC peformer last season, averages 13.9 points per game.
But the Beavers better not dwell on him too long, because forward Tim Williams leads the team with 14.7 points per contest and grabs 5.9 boards per game.
"(Williams) is a great athlete," Gunter said. "And he is great around the basket.
And if that isn't enough, the Beavers coach says the Dragons' second guard -- Damian Green -- is potent with a quick penetration move.
The Beavers, although wary of the Dragons' big threats, won't be doing anything special on defense, according to Gunther.
"We're going to try to do a good job on everyone," Gunther said.
In their own backyard, the coach said the Beavers need to decrease their number of unforced turnovers.
"Our turnovers have been our downfall. They are an area of deep concern," Gunther said. "It's a major part of the game. It's got to improve for us to improve."
Gunther said at times the turnovers have been so numerous it might have cost them some games.
"There could have been different outcomes," he deadpanned.
BSU's probable starters include Carlos Barnes and Seth Greenwaldt as guards, B.J. LaVelle and Larry Smith as forwards and Mac Smith in the middle.
LaVelle and Larry Smith are sharing the scoring title for the Beavers, each averaging 11.5 points per contest.
The men tipoff at 7:30 p.m. following the Beavers women's game against Moorhead at 5:30 p.m.
Women's game
The Beavers women's team will also play Moorhead today, entering the game with an exciting 70-69 win over Winona State Sunday.
BSU (8-7, 1-1 NSIC) will need to focus on the Dragons' (8-7, 0-2 NSIC) Kristie Stangl, who is leading the team with 14.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
Stangl was named to the All-NSIC team as a junior last year, and recently reached the 1,000-point mark in her collegiate career in December.
The Beavers will be led by guard Erin Walker, who is scoring 14.9 points a game and is lighting up the court from behind the three-point line.
Guard Jennifer Ohme also has averaged double-digits, scoring 11.1 ppg, while leading the team in assists (4.8) and steals (2.5). She, however, is out 4-6 weeks with a broken knee cap.
"That's a tough loss for us," said BSU coach Doreen Zierer.
An ankle injury has also claimed Jordan Welsh, who won't return this season.
"Now we're a little thin at the perimeter," Zierer said. "I think, overall, the 10 healthy players are very solid. We just need to stay out of foul trouble and make sure we win the battle of the boards."
Beaver notes:
The men's basketball team has suffered this season due to the loss of two-year starting forward Ken Ponto to a back injury. But the Beavers will suffer a little longer, as he will be out the rest of the season. Gunther said BSU is seeking a medical hardship for Ponto from the NCAA.
Ohme, a three-year starter for the Beavers, stretched her assist streak to 68 straight games against Winona State on Sunday. She has dished out an assist in every game she has played in a Beaver uniform.
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