The Bellevue Bulldogs men’s basketball team kept its winning streak alive despite an off-kilter performance against the Olympic Rangers.

Sophomore guard Jalen Ward scored a game-high 33 points, catapulting the Bulldogs to a 92-85 victory against the Rangers on Feb. 11 in Bellevue. The Bulldogs have won 13 consecutive games and improved their overall record to 22-2. Olympic dropped to 5-16 and are winless in Northwest Athletic Conference play. The Bulldogs, who are in first place in the NWAC North Division, didn’t have their best game against the last-place Rangers, but still found a way to win. Bulldogs guard Dom Holub, who scored 14 points off the bench, said he wasn’t surprised the Rangers brought their “A” game.

“They were hungry and were ready to get after it. They played like they had something to prove and their game spoke for itself,” Holub said.

Bellevue head coach Jeremy Eggers was shocked his team wasn’t clicking on all cylinders against Olympic.

“I hope it was an eye-opener for us. Overall we didn’t do our part,” Eggers said. “We have to realize when you are at the top (first place) you are a marked man and teams are coming after you. If you don’t bring it, you’re going to lose regardless of who you are playing.”

Ward, Holub and Dominique Jordan made key buckets down the stretch to preserve the victory. Bellevue fell behind Olympic twice early in the second half but made the plays down the stretch when they needed to. Jordan finished with 20 points in the win.

“Fortunately we hit some shots when we needed to and they missed a couple of shots when it was a tight ballgame,” Eggers said. “We didn’t match their intensity. Luckily it wasn’t detrimental to us, but it was a big factor in the game.”

Holub said the Bulldogs are focused on making the 2014-15 season a memorable one.

“Our goal from Day 1 was to play in the NWAC tournament. All of these games have been stepping stones to get there. Tonight’s performance didn’t really show how much work and effort we show every single day at practice,” Holub said. “We squeezed by today and live to fight another day.”

Shaun Scott: 425-453-5045;sscott@bellevuereporter.com