TENACIOUS TEAM EFFORT KEYS BRECK PLAYOFF WIN VS. FRAZEE

christensen contributes across the board in big win

Photos by Carol Colby • Breckenridge Sports and School Photos.

• By Robert Wanek Jr.

The Cowboys found themselves in a rubber match with Frazee to begin Section the 8AA playoffs on Thursday March 18th. Coach Stevin Lipp’s team stepped up with a 79-63 win, giving the 21-year-old frontman his first postseason win and setting up a quarterfinal showdown at Warroad on Saturday.

Jonah Christensen, who has manhandled the Hornets three times this season, led Breckenridge with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists. He made 3-of-4 threes in a dynamic offensive performance. 

Five days earlier, the Hornets beat Breckenridge 95-91 in overtime, as Jack “Joystick” Courneya poured in 38 points. Courneya was cashing in again Thursday, making tough shots and celebrating them during an 8-1 run to start the game. 

The notoriously slow-starting Cowboys were reeling, but Junior Perez brought them back with some tenacious drives to the rim. He knocked the basketball out of bounds off Justin Courneya’s leg, then tracked down an offensive rebound to wake Breckenridge up. His sky-high layup off the glass gave the home team the lead at 12-10. 

The half went back and forth before Perez and Cooper Yaggie hit the deck on a pair of steals, kicking the ball up court for layups by Sebastian Anderson and Anthony Conzemius that gave Breckenridge a 35-32 halftime lead. Despite playing on a banged up calf, Conzemius recorded 14 points and 6 rebounds. He also blocked Reid Eckert at the halftime buzzer to protect the lead. 

It was a heated atmosphere, the kind that Yaggie relishes. He drew several hard fouls, earning all 18 of his points in the game. However, he was assessed a technical, before picking up his fourth personal foul moments later — forcing him to check out with 12 minutes remaining in the game. Lipp turned to Alex Ohm and Landon Blaufuss off the bench. Ohm baited Courneya into a charge and blocked a shot. Blaufuss found the soft spots in Frazee’s zone for easy scores, as Breckenridge built a 16-point lead without their top scorer in Yaggie. 

Best highlights from #3 seed Breckenridge's Section 8AA playoff win vs. #6 seed Frazee, 79-63.

□ Perez sets the tone
□ Christensen scores 21
□ Cowboys play TOUGH#BelieveInBreck #MarchMadness

□ @CoachWanek | @t_wern72 pic.twitter.com/o3iX2E0LeB

— Breck Sports Talk (@BreckSportsTalk) March 19, 2021

Sebastian Anderson grabbed 10 boards.

Dylan Bernotas’ sophomore season hasn’t went as planned, playing in just one game due to injury. However, it takes zero playing time to be a great teammate and bring support, energy, and motivation to your team.

□ Carol Colby#GlueGuysMatter #CowboyCulture pic.twitter.com/wfMO6fJBTJ

— Breck Sports Talk (@BreckSportsTalk) March 19, 2021

Stevin Lipp has his first playoff win at 21 years young, but is no doubt motivated to keep improving in the postseason. The Cowboys have amassed a 13-6 record.

Frazee has come a long way as a program, and they weren’t going down easy. They cut the Cowboy lead to six with 4:40 remaining. Conzemius and Christensen worked the ball to each other in the lane for three buckets, Anderson grabbed two steals, and Breckenridge built a 10-point lead with 2:00 left.

Anderson was excellent in his utility role per usual. The senior wing posted nine points, 10 rebounds, and three steals. Adam Ohm knocked home a pair of key threes, shooting 2-of-5 for the game. Perez scored six and Blaufuss finished with five points. 

Jack Courneya led all scorers with 25, but tapered off in the second half to the tune of nine points. Yaggie traced the ball in his hands and popped it out on multiple occasions, frustrating the Frazee star and turning the tide. Courneya showed that his offensive package is elite, and, most notably, became the all-time leading scorer at Frazee with the prolific output. 

With the win, Breckenridge moves on to play at Warroad on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m in the Section 8AA Quarterfinals. The Warriors are the no. 2 seed from the north side and ranked no. 38 in the QRF. The Cowboys are the no. 3 seed on the south side and ranked no. 19 in the QRF.