Bemidji girls basketball holds off Detroit Lakes with Clara Bieber's return

Bieber scores 14 points in second game back from injury as Lumberjacks defeat Lakers 52-46

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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After missing over a month with a stress fracture in her pelvis, Bemidji High School girls basketball player Clara Bieber made her return to the lineup and led the Lumberjacks in scoring with 14 points off the bench in a 52-46 victory over Detroit Lakes. Bieber's presence was a boost for Bemidji, which had to hold off a persistent Detroit Lakes team that hit nine 3-pointers in the game.

Why it matters

Bieber's return is a big lift for the Lumberjacks as they head into a crucial section matchup against Moorhead. With only two wins against section teams this season, Bemidji needs Bieber's scoring and leadership to improve their playoff seeding.

The details

In her second game back from the injury, Bieber scored 14 points to lead Bemidji. The Lumberjacks built a 23-17 halftime lead, but Detroit Lakes kept the game close by hitting nine 3-pointers, which accounted for 59% of their total points. Bemidji's defense focused on taking away the lane and forcing the Lakers to hit contested shots from the perimeter.

  • Bieber missed 11 games after suffering the stress fracture on Jan. 3 against Esko.
  • Bieber made her return last weekend against Cloquet, scoring 6 points in a narrow 46-44 loss.
  • Thursday's game against Detroit Lakes was Bieber's second game back in the lineup.

The players

Clara Bieber

A senior on the Bemidji High School girls basketball team who missed over a month with a stress fracture in her pelvis before returning to the lineup.

Darin Schultz

The head coach of the Bemidji High School girls basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“It feels good to be back on the court. I'm getting more familiar with it all again.”

— Clara Bieber, Bemidji High School senior (Bemidji Pioneer)

“I can't be more excited for our team to have a player of Clara's caliber back on the court with us. She really makes us better both on the offensive end and the defensive end.”

— Darin Schultz, Bemidji High School girls basketball head coach (Bemidji Pioneer)

What’s next

Bemidji will play a crucial Section 8-4A game against Moorhead on Friday. The Lumberjacks lost to Moorhead 52-47 in their previous matchup on Jan. 8, which was Bieber's first game out with the injury.

The takeaway

Bieber's return provides a major boost for the Lumberjacks as they look to improve their playoff seeding in the section. Her scoring, leadership, and two-way play make Bemidji a tougher team to beat down the stretch.