DL Girls Basketball: Kerzman carries Lakers to low-scoring victory over Bemidji

It was a defensive battle, aided by some cold shooting, in the first half of the Detroit Lakes girls' basketball home game against Bemidji Thursday, but the Lakers were able to pry the lid off the bucket in the second half to break a 13-13 halftime tie on the way to a 42-35 victory.

Senior guard Karli Kerzman kept the Lakers above water with her four three-pointers, three of which came in the first half, as she finished with a game-high 17 points.

"We missed numerous inside shots in the first half with Bemidji's big Jen Yost blocking being effective," said DL head coach Mike Hoganson. "Karli Kerzman really stepped up from the perimeter by going 4-6 from the three-point line."

The Lakers were able to do much of their second-half damage from the free throw line, as they went 16-19 from the stripe.

Bemidji went 3-6 from the free throw line in the second half.

"Kyley Foster and Marissa Bridgeman each did a super job of taking care of the ball all game," said Hoganson of his two point guards. "Trisa Hutchinson was a rebounding machine, too, with 11 boards."

Yost led the Lumberjacks with nine points, while four different players had five points each.

The Lakers (10-11) hosted Class 3A No. 1 ranked Fergus Falls (21-0) Saturday and will be at Alexandria (13-8) Tuesday for a 7:30 p.m. start.

Laker results

Bemidji at Detroit Lakes, Thursday, Feb. 14.

Lumberjacks 13 22 - 35

Lakers 13 29 - 42

Scoring (2-3-ftm-fta-pts) - DL: Kyley Foster 2-0-2-4-6; Shay Nieslen 3-0-0-0-6; Trisa Hutchinson 1-0-4-6-6; Karli Kerzman 0-4-5-6-17; Brooke Olson 1-0-5-5-7. TOTAL: 7-4-16-21-42.

Bem: J. Lusby 1-1-0-0-5; A. Greendahl 3-0-0-0-6; J. Yost 4-0-1-2-9; C. Palmer 2-0-1-2-5; G. Steeven 2-0-1-2-5. TOTAL: 13-2-3-6-35.