After a 75-72 setback to Concordia Academy-Roseville on Monday, the Albert Lea Tigers girls’ basketball team looked to end a five game losing streak on Tuesday against the Bemidji Lumberjacks in the second day of the Tiger Classic.

Bemidji’s Jess Yost had 25 points and 12 rebounds as the Lumberjacks defeated the Tigers 63-45.

“It felt like a 1:30 game to me,” Albert Lea coach Sean Gilliam said. “We weren’t wide a wake. I think its tough to comeback from the loss like we had last night and have the same level of energy.”

Early in the first half, both teams struggled shooting the ball as Bemidji shot 33 percent from the field, while Albert Lea shot 20 percent.

With the game tied at 13, the Lumberjacks started taking advantage of their height in the post with Jess Yost.

Yost scored 16 of her 25 points in the first half and helped Bemidji go into half-time with a 38-25 lead.

In the second half, the Lumberjacks used the same formula as in the first half as they pounded the ball into the post with Yost and Greta Steever, who finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Bemidji finished the game on a 10-2 run that gave the Lumberjacks a 63-45 victory over Albert Lea.

Both teams struggled shooting the ball as Albert Lea shot 26 percent from the field, while Bemidji shot 35 percent from the field during the game.

“What hurt was they got more shots up than we did,” Gilliam said. “We really want to be up near that 80 mark with what we have for shots. Again coming off that loss last night and playing back to back. I think we were a little bit leg weary.”

Along with an advantage in shooting, the Lumberjacks also out-rebounded the Tigers by 22 with a 63-41 advantage.

That also allowed Bemidji to score 21 second chance points in the game.

“They did a good job rebounding,” Gilliam said. “We had a lot of rebounds slip through our hands today. We can’t let them slip through our hands. We have to be able to grab them and we need to get stronger at that.”

Alyssa Sager led Albert Lea with 21 points and collected eight rebounds.

The Tigers are back in action on January 4th when they host Big Nine rival Owatonna.

Bemidji 63, Albert Lea 45

Bemidji 38 25 – 63

Albert Lea 25 20 – 45

Albert Lea Scoring: Alyssa Sager 21 points, Ashley Tewes 5, Taylor Friehl 3, Dominique Villareal 3, Whitney Rasmussen 3, Tiffany Johnson 3, Skyler Anderson 2, Samantha Reim 2, Bryn Woodside 2, Brittani Zuniga 1.