Todd Woelfel puts up a jumper against Menahga.

Sam Ruohoniemi (45) and Brian Plantz fight for a rebound at Frazee.

The Pine River-Backus boys basketball team earned a split last week in a pair of non-conference contests when the Tigers dropped an 11-point loss at home to Menahga before beating Frazee by 16 points on the road. With the split PR-B improved to 5-9 on the season.

Ackerman scores 20 in loss to Braves

The Tigers struggled to get their offense going and managed just 17 first half points against Menahga on Jan. 26. Senior Jordan Ackerman poured in 15 points in the second half but it was not enough as PR-B fell 62-51.

Todd Woelfel hit a jumper and Ackerman knocked down a pair of free-throws for an early 4-2 lead. The Braves then went on a 12-2 run, opening up a 14-6 lead. Beau Howard scored off a steal over that stretch. Aaron Kottschade then scored inside but Menahga answered with a 3-pointer before Ackerman got his first points from the floor. Kottschade scored again inside off an assist from Ackerman, Brian Plantz came off the bench to hit a baseline jumper and Woelfel drained a 3-pointer but the Tigers trailed 26-17 at halftime.

The Braves pushed the lead to 15 points before Ackerman scored off an inbounds pass. Ackerman scored again inside off an assist from Kottschade but Woelfel picked up his fourth foul less than three minutes into the second half. Ackerman scored inside, Mitch Kline got a pair from the charity stripe and Nathan Holm scored on a put-back to pull within nine points at 36-27. Howard scored on a drive and Kline scored inside but a 12-4 run allowed Menahga to push the lead back to 48-31.

Inside baskets by Holm, Kottschade and Ackerman pulled the Tigers back within 11 points at 53-42 before the Braves' Marlin Aho fouled out with under five minutes to play. Ryan Wynn came off the bench and drained a 3-pointer and Kottschade scored on a put-back and hit one of two from the free-throw line. Ackerman scored off his own steal before fouling out with 1:06 to play and Menahga went on to hand PR-B the 62-51 loss.

Ackerman led the Tigers with 19 points and Kottschade added nine points. Woelfel and Howard had five points each, Kline and Holm each had four points, Wynn had three points and Plantz had two points.

The Braves had three players finish in double figures. Kasey Tyge led Menahga with 20 points, Derek Pihlaja added 17 points and Aho had 15 points.

Tigers take down Frazee

PR-B traveled to Frazee on Jan. 28 for a non-conference with the Hornets who have only one victory this season. The first half scoring for the Tigers was fairly balanced as PR-B took an eight-point lead into the locker room. Jordan Ackerman had 14 second half points, including eight from the line, as the Tigers pulled away for the 57-41 victory.

Todd Woelfel hit a jumper and added a free-throw for a 3-2 lead. Nathan Holm hit a jumper and Aaron Kottschade scored inside off an assist from Holm. Kottschade and Ackerman hit free-throws, Ackerman scored off a steal and Beau Howard scored inside for a 14-10 lead midway through the first half.

Holm then hit a jumper but the Hornets fought back to take an 18-16 lead. PR-B regained the lead on inside scores by Woelfel and Kottschade. Howard then hit a 3-pointer and Kottschade got a put-back at the buzzer for a 26-18 lead at the break.

To open the second half Howard scored on an inbounds play, Ackerman scored on a put-back, Kottschade hit a little baseline jumper and Woelfel hit a jumper, extending the lead to 34-21. Frazee used a pair of 3-pointers and a steal to stay close before Ackerman scored inside, Howard hit a jumper, Mitch Kline scored off a dish from Holm and Holm scored on a fast-break, to maintain a 13-point lead at 42-29.

Kline and Ackerman both scored on drives but the remainder of the game was a free-throw fest as Ackerman, Jake Sepin, Brian Plantz and Tyler Schwartz hit free-throws for the 57-41 final.

Ackerman finished with 18 points and Kottschade added 10 points to lead the Tigers. Howard had nine points, Woelfel had seven points, Holm had six points, Kline had four points, and Sepin, Plantz and Schwartz had one point each.

Frazee's Dylan Stender hit three 3-pointers to finish with 17 points while the Tiger defense held the Hornets' 6' "5 center, Daniel Janu, to just 10 points.

PR-B takes its 3-6 conference mark and 5-9 overall record into a busy week when the Tigers host the third ranked Sebeka Trojans on Feb. 1 and travel to Verndale on Feb. 5. The Tigers conclude the week when they host Northland Conference opponent Northome-Kelliher on Feb. 6.