Beulah used its perimeter game to get the lead and turned to its post players to keep it during its Region 7 tournament quarterfinal game against Hettinger on Monday.
A pair of 3-pointers from senior Gabe Goetz early in the second quarter gave Beulah a boost but it took senior forward Andrew Just and junior forward Kasey Schmidt to shrug off the Black Devils completely.
Just had 16 points and nine rebounds and Schmidt added 10 points and eight rebounds off the bench to help Beulah secure a 61-51 victory at Knights of Columbus Activities Center. Goetz made three 3-pointers to add 11 points.
"I thought our post players played really well for us," Beulah coach Jeremy Brandt said.
Beulah's post presence negated a strong game from Hettinger's duo down low.
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Senior center Drew Nash and junior forward Lance Johnson got Hettinger off to a quick start, working the post to help the Black Devils to small leads early in the first quarter.
Nash had 15 points and six rebounds and Johnson had 11 points and five rebounds.
But, when Beulah put on a full-court press, it rattled the Black Devils just enough to free up its transition game which created some easy buckets.
"I was more so looking to wear them down a little bit," Brandt said. "At this point in the season, every possession becomes so important."
Just and Schmidt took the reins from there.
The duo scored eight of Beulah's final 11 points of the second quarter, which led to a 34-29 halftime advantage.
Just scored seven in a row early in the third quarter to give the Miners a 43-33 lead the team needed in the fourth quarter.
After taking a 49-38 lead into the fourth, Hettinger began to chip away.
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Sophomore guard Ander Thompson made a running 6-foot jumper from right of the lane and got a 3-pointer from the top of the key to rattle in, cutting Beulah's lead to 50-47 with 5:04 remaining.
The Miners weathered the storm though, making free throws and creating easy shot opportunities while the Black Devils struggled from the line.
Hettinger made 13 of 23 free throws and struggled when it still had chances to trim the lead.
"We ran some sets and got some good looks, we just didn't knock 'em down," Hettinger coach Adam Hill said.
The Miners (12-11) now have to face fifth-ranked Dickinson Trinity at 6 p.m. today in the semifinals.
"If we come to play, it should be a pretty competitive game," Just said.
Beulah 15 34 49 61
Hettinger 15 29 38 51
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B: Andrew Just 16, Gabe Goetz 11, Kasey Schmidt 10, Joshua Schank 8, Logan Kessler 6, Casey Duppong 6, Jon Langellers 4.
H: Drew Nash 14, Lance Johnson 11, Jared Jacobson 11, Ryan Fulker 10, Ander Thompson 5.
3-pointers: Goetz 3, Kessler 2, Thompson 1, Johnson 1. Free throws: B 14-22, H 13-23. Total fouls: B 21, H 18. Fouled out: Nash. Rebounds: B 31 (Just 9), H 28 (Nash 6). Assists: B 12 (Goetz 4), H 10 (two with 3). Steals: B 8 (Just 3), H 9 (Fulker 4). Blocks: B 2 (two with 1), H 1 (Jacobson). Turnovers: B 17, H 15.
