Frazer Boys Post First Win in Three Years

This article has been updated. A previous version said the Frazer Bearcubs boys basketball team posted their first win in five years. The win is the first in three years. The Courier apologizes for the mistake.

The previous year in Valley County was one of the driest on record, but Friday night at least one drought came to an end. The Frazer Bearcubs boys basketball team posted their first win in three years, defeating the Porcupines in Nashua 75-63.

"It was a fun game to coach," said Frazer head coach Myron Jackson. One of Jackson's stated goals for this season was for his team to get a taste of victory. The win came in a fast paced game against Nashua which saw the scoring pendulum swing dramatically in both directions before the final buzzer sounded.

The first quarter ended knotted at 14 a piece with neither team getting far out ahead of the other. Momentum swung to the home team in the second quarter as the Porcupines outscored the Bearcubs 24-14 to take a 38-28 lead into half time.

But the second half was to belong to Frazer. The Bearcubs roared with 22 points in the third while the Porcupines connected for 7. Frazer built on their 5-point lead in the final quarter by 7 points, 25-18, for the win.

Officials called 40 fouls in the game: 19 for Nashua and 21 on Frazer. Ryker Ackerman fouled out on the Bearcubs' side while Joseph Beston and Blue Fettig were called for four a piece. John Hotomanie and Keein Ackerman had three fouls each. Jarvis Goodbird and Jonathan Jackson were each called for one foul.

K. Ackerman ran the floor with 31 points, 7-for-9 at the charity stripe, for Frazer with R. Ackerman right behind him with 24 points, including two three-pointers and going 10-for-15 at the line. Hotomanie scored 6 points, Ty Fourstar and Jonathan Jackson added 4 each and Goodbird scored 2 points in the win.

The huge win was bookended by losses to Poplar, 81-39, on Tuesday and Lustre Christian, 75-13, on Saturday.

Poplar took the lead in the first quarter, 26-12, and held on to it throughout the game. The Indians outscored the Bearcubs 21-13 and 26-5 in the second and third quarters. Frazer rallied in the fourth with 8 points while holding Poplar to 6.

Frazer had only four fouls in the 32 minutes of play. R. Ackermann was called for three and Travis Long one foul.

Hotomanie led Frazer with 12 points, including two three-pointers and K. Ackerman added 11 with three shots from downtown. R. Ackerman scored 9 points going 3-for-4 at the line. Jackson, Fettig, Fourstar and Long scored 2 each.

Saturday in Lustre the Bearcubs faced an undefeated Lions team. The Lions record remained unblemished after a strong offensive first half, 49-13, followed by a defensive route in the second that kept the Bearcubs off the scoreboard.

Frazer played a cleaner game with only 10 fouls. Hotomanie, R. Ackerman, Fettig and Beston were called for two fouls each while Jackson and Fourstar had one a piece.

R Ackerman put up 5 points for the Bearcubs. Hotomanie and K. Ackerman added 3 each and Fourstar scored 2 points.

Frazer hosts Dodson this Friday, Jan. 14, for a girls game at 5:30 p.m. and a boys game at 7 p.m. against the Coyotes. Saturday, Jan. 15, the Bearcubs travel to Hinsdale to play the North Country Mavericks. The girls game is scheduled for 6 p.m., with the boys game following at 7:30 p.m.