Six letterwinners return this season as the Pine River-Backus boys’ basketball team in hopes to build on last year’s 8-11 record.
“I am excited for this high-quality group of young men to be able to have a full season together as a team,” said PR-B coach Jordan Ackerman, whose team was scheduled to open by hosting Pequot Lakes at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2. “They are fully committed to becoming the best team they can be and have put in lots of work in the offseason. Look for this team to have a successful 2022 season.”
Returning contributors include: Brady Bristow, Jared Hamilton, Irvin Tulenchik, Carson Travis, and Robert and Andrew Bueckers.
Last season, the fourth-seeded Tigers were eliminated by No. 5 Browerville/Eagle Valley 53-40 in the West Subsection 5A quarterfinals. PR-B finished 7-7 in the Northland Conference standings.
Bristow, a senior guard, was chosen most valuable last season after leading the Tigers with a 13.7 point average and shooting 45% from the field and was all-conference honorable mention. Irvin Tulenchik and Jared Hamilton were named co-defensive players of the year.
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Mike Dinnel is assistant coach for PR-B.
Pine River-Backus boys’ basketball
December
2 - Pequot Lakes at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m.
3 - Pine River-Backus at Staples-Motley 7:15 p.m.
7 - Crosby-Ironton at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m.
9 - Pine River-Backus at Cass Lake-Bena 7:30 p.m.
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14 - Upsala at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m.
17 - Pine River-Backus at Northome-Kelliher 7:30 p.m.
20 - Pine River-Backus vs. Nevis at Pillager tournament 7:30 p.m.
21 - Pine River-Backus vs. Verndale at Pillager tournament 7:30 p.m.
28 - Pine River-Backus at Fergus Falls tournament, TBD
29 - Pine River-Backus at Fergus Falls tournament, TBD
January
6 - Laporte at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m.
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13 - Walker-Hackensack-Akeley at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m.
14 - Blackduck at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m.
18 - Bertha-Hewitt at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m.
21 - Pine River-Backus at Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 7:30 p.m.
25 - Pine River-Backus at Red Lake 7:30 p.m.
28 - Pine River-Backus at Nevis 7:30 p.m.
31 - Pine River-Backus at Browerville-Eagle Valley 7:15 p.m.
February
3 - Northome-Kelliher at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m.
4 - Cherry at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m.
11 - Cass Lake-Bena at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m.
15 - Pine River-Backus at Blackduck 7:30 p.m.
17 - Pine River-Backus at Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 7:30 p.m.
25 - Red Lake at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m.
March
3 - Swanville at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m.
