Napoleon, Ellendale post semifinal victories
Ellendale and Napoleon will be battling for the Stutsman County girls’ basketball tournament championship this evening at the Jamestown Civic Center.By: Michael Savaloja, The Jamestown Sun
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Ellendale and Napoleon will be battling for the Stutsman County girls’ basketball tournament championship this evening at the Jamestown Civic Center.
Ellendale received 18 second-half points from junior forward Meg Martin as the Cardinals upended Midkota 43-24 during Friday night’s semifinals. In the other semifinal game, three Imperials hit double figures in scoring to help Napoleon get past Edgeley-Kulm 53-21.
In consolation play, Pingree-Buchanan-Kensal defeated Central Prairie 37-27, and Sheridan County earned its first win of the season with a 40-30 victory over LaMoure.
This afternoon’s games start at 2 p.m. with LaMoure taking on Central Prairie for seventh place. The fifth-place game between P-B-K and Sheridan County will follow at 3:30 p.m.
Edgeley-Kulm will matchup with Midkota for third place at 5 p.m., with the title game between the Cardinals and the Imperials to follow.
Ellendale 43, Midkota 24
Ellendale coach Matt Herman didn’t say what was said in the locker room during halftime against Midkota. But whatever was discussed certainly had a positive affect on his team.
After a wretched opening 16 minutes of basketball — that saw the Cardinals score nine points on 4 of 22 shooting — the light switch was finally flipped to the “on” position. Ellendale ate up most of the third ripping off a 13-0 run, and behind stifling defense the Cards rolled on to the 19-point victory.
“I thought we were a little more intense tonight, we just got off to a slow start,” Herman said. “We’ve been struggling with our half-court offense. We shot just 18-percent in the first half with only two girls with field goals.”
Ellendale trailed 13-9 at the half, but a majority of Midkota’s 24 turnovers in the game came after the break. The Cardinals recorded 13 team steals in the game, and the large benefactor of Ellendale’s defensive play was Meg Martin.
Martin posted all of her 18 points in the second half and led the Cards with 10 rebounds. Martin also collected three steals of her own.
Ellendale’s big run in third period was capped by three straight steals that went back for points. Martin kicked it off with a pick at half-court that she took back for two. Kelsey Mertz and Ashley Herman picked up the next two steals that were turned into field goals by Kiley Fuller and Martin.
The run ended as the Cards led 22-16 with 1:18 left before the fourth, when Midkota’s Lacey Harding connected from long range for three of her five points. Ellendale basically rolled from there on out, allowing just five Midkota field goals in the second half.
“The defense definitely made the difference,” Herman said. “Our defensive intensity in the second half turned into offensive points.”
Ellendale ended the game converting 18 of 52 shots from the floor for 35 percent. Midkota struggled, sinking just 11 of 44 shots. The Mustangs, however, outrebounded the Cards 34-30, led by Kallie Frappier with eight boards.
Along with Martin’s 18 points, Kinsey Holm produced eight, while Mertz and Herman tossed in six points each. Mertz led the Cardinals with six steals.
Midkota was paced by Shaye Ronningen with six points.
“Tomorrow we’ve got to make it a half-court game for Napoleon,” Herman said. “They score so many points off of turnovers and their pressure. We’ll need to take care of the ball and make it a half-court game.”
Napoleon 53, E-K 21
Napoleon’s pressure defense shined for the second straight night, as the Imperials jumped out to an early 17-6 lead after one period and never looked back.
The Imperials pounced all over the basketball, racking up 17 team steals and helping to force 31 E-K turnovers in the game. A trio of Imperials cracked double digit scoring, led by Kendra Weigel’s two three-pointers and 14 points.
The Rebels received a big blow just 6 minutes, 28 seconds into the game. E-K junior center Jessa Lindgren, the team’s leading scorer, went down with a left ankle sprain while battling for an offensive rebound and never returned.
“When you’re a team averaging 30 points a night and you lose someone who scores 15 a night, it’s a struggle,” E-K coach Jason Carroll said. “It threw the girls through a loop and it took them some time to adjust.
“Napoleon was strong early and they were able to put us down. They played strong and made it difficult to accomplish anything offensively.”
The scariest moment of the evening, however, came in the second half.
E-K’s Anna Isaacson and Dakota Hoots collided while going after a loose ball with 3 minutes, 10 seconds remaining in the third. Isaacson, a junior forward, remained on the floor for over 20 minutes, while paramedics put her in a neck brace and placed her on a backboard.
Isaacson was conscience and appeared able to move, but the extent of her injury is uncertain.
“It’s one of those games where it’s more of a concern making sure our girls are good,” Carroll said.
Both teams struggled at times to finish off the game, which is one thing Napoleon coach Darcy Lehr said his 4-0 Imperials need to work on.
“It seems like that’s been our pattern this year,” Lehr said. “We start out with a lot of intensity, but then relax with the lead and we’re not as focused.
“The loss of Lindgren was big for them,” Lehr added. “A lot of their offense flows through her. She’s a good-quality player and it was unfortunate she got hurt.”
The coach said his team is looking forward to today’s championship matchup with Ellendale.
“I hope we show up for a full game. We play in spurts,” Lehr said. “Ellendale has some good quality players from what I’ve seen. It will be a good game.”
P-B-K 37, Central Prairie 27
Tara Uehran and Kelly Carlson each scored 10 points as Pingree-Buchanan-Kensal defeated Central Prairie 37-27 in the first game of the day.
Neither team did much offensively, but the Rebels made 13 of their 19 free throws, which was the difference. Sierra Sand added eight points and a game-high 12 rebounds for the Rebels.
JaSondra Dockter’s 10 points led Central Prairie.
Sheridan Co. 40, LaMoure 30
LaMoure scored just one third-quarter point and eight in all in the second half in a 40-30 loss to Sheridan County.
Jacy Hausauer led all scorers in the game with 11 points for the Coyotes. Kimberly Tkach added 10 points and five assists.
The Loboes made just 10 of their 42 shots. Becky Watkins was the lone Loboe in double figures with 10. She also had a game-high eight rebounds.
Stutsman County Girls’ Basketball Tournament at Jamestown
Consolation games
Pingree-Buchanan-Kensal 37, Central Prairie 27
P-B-K 8 17 28 37
Central Prairie 2 10 15 27
P-B-K — Tara Uehran 10, Kelly Carlson 10, Sierra Sand 8, Jacie Pfaff 5, Jacqueline Thomas 2, Shelby Backer 2. Totals: 12-34 FG, 13-19 FT, 9 fouls.
Central Prairie — JaSondra Dockter 10, Noelle Moser 6, Lindsay Anderson 5, Alecia Krapp 4, Jordan Zenker 2. Totals: 12-48 FG, 1-3 FT, 16 fouls. Three-pointers: Dockter 1, Anderson1.
Records: Pingree-Buchanan-Kensal 2-3; Central Prairie 0-4.
Sheridan County 40, LaMoure 30
Sheridan Co. 12 24 28 40
LaMoure 10 22 23 30
Sheridan Co. — Jacy Hausauer 11, Kimberly Tkach 10, Neilie Dockter 5, Abigail Martwick 5, Adrienne Martwick 4, Brittany Thomas 2, Karissa Erdmann 2, Taylor Gahner 1. Totals: 17-47 FG, 4-9 FT, 16 fouls. Three-pointers: Dockter 1, Tkach 1.
LaMoure — Becky Watkins 10, Courtney Klever 9, Hailie Gentzkow 7, Kiki Bickford 4. Totals: 10-42 FG, 9-15 FT, 11 fouls. Three-pointers: Gentzkow 1.
Records: Sheridan County 1-2; LaMoure 0-4.
Semifinal games
Napoleon 53, Edgeley-Kulm 21
E-K 6 9 15 21
Napoleon 17 28 38 53
E-K — Jennifer Erickson 5, Rebecca Andres 5, Brittany Nitschke 4, Sonni Lagodinski 2, Brittney Kramlich 2, Mina Solinger 2, Dakota Hoots 1. Totals: 9-36 FG, 2-8 FT, 19 fouls. Three-pointers: Erickson 1.
Napoleon — Kendra Weigel 14, Sheridon Dewald 11, Rikki Schmidt 10, Maria Jangula 9, Mikayla Young 5, Brenna Schmidt 2, Kayla Gross 2. Totals: 19-53 FG, 13-21 FT, 9 fouls. Three-pointers: Weigel 2.
Records: Napoleon 4-0; Edgeley-Kulm 2-2.
Ellendale 43, Midkota 24
Midkota 4 13 18 24
Ellendale 4 9 26 43
Midkota — Shaye Ronningen 6, Lacey Harding 5, Caitlinn Harding 4, Emily Berge 3, Krista Briss 2, Carly Ronningen 2, Kallie Frappier 2. Totals: 11-44 FG, 1-6 FT, 15 fouls. Three-pointers: L. Harding 1.
Ellendale — Meg Martin 18, Kinsey Holm 8, Ashley Herman 6, Kelsey Mertz 6, Brianna Vance 3, Kiley Fuller 2. Totals: 18-52 FG, 7-13 FT, 12 fouls.
Records: Ellendale 3-0; Midkota 1-3.
Sun sports writer Michael Savaloja can be reached at (701) 952-8461 or by email at mikes@jamestownsun.com
Tags: stutsman county tournament, sports, basketball, girls
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