FOSSTON GIRL’S HOOPS ADVANCES TO 8A TITLE GAME AFTER 11-0 RUN TO START GAME

The Fosston Greyhound Girls Basketball team started the game on an 11-0 run and never looked back as they beat the Cass Lake-Bena Panthers 53-39 in the East Sub-section championship and the Section 8A semi-finals played at Ralph Englestad Arena in Thief River Falls.  

FIRST HALF –
Fosston couldn’t have asked for a better start by jumping out to an 11-0 lead behind four points apiece from Katlyn Vesledahl and Lexi Mahlen, and a three-pointer from Kinsley Duppong for an 11-0 lead six minutes into the game.
Cass Lake-Bena finally got on the board with a pair of free throws with 11:45 left.  The 11-point lead would remain halfway through the half after a basket by Vesledahl for a 20-9 lead.  Fosston added another basket from Tessa Manecke to take a 22-9 lead with eight minutes left. 
The teams exchanged baskets for several minutes, but Fosston continued to play tough defense and take advantage of their quickness on the offensive end and built a 30-14 lead with three minutes left in the half.  Fosston scored the final three points of the half and took a commanding 33-14 lead into halftime.

SECOND HALF –
Cass Lake-Bena had a much better start to the second half as they started the half on a 7-2 run with three different players scoring in the first three minutes. After a Fosston basket, Cass Lake-Bena made back-to-back baskets to get within a 10-point deficit (37-27).  Fosston tightened up its defense and went on a 6-1 run to take a 43-28 lead with eight minutes left in the game.  Fosston elected to slow the game down the rest of the game and held the ball or worked it around the perimeter for the next handful of possessions and had a 44-30 lead with 3:13 left in the game when Cass Lake-Bena finally reached seven team fouls for the 
bonus. Fosston-Bagley made a free throw before Cass Lake-Bean made two three-pointers to get within a 45-36 deficit with 1:19 remaining.  Fosston made their free throws and continued with stellar defense to win the game 53-39.
In the game, Fosston’s Kinsley Duppong recorded the 1,000th point of her career.

Fosston improves to 24-3 and will play in the Section 8A Girls Basketball championship game vs the winner of Goodridge/Grygla and Badger/Greenbush-Middle River.
Cass Lake-Bena’s season comes to an end with a record of 17-12.

Section 8A Girls Basketball semi-finals 3-7-23
 
1st
2nd 
Final
Cass Lake-Bena
14
25
39
Fosston
33
20
53
For Fosston
Points
Katelyn Vesledahl
20
Kinsley Duppong
13
Lexi Mahlen
11
Tessa Manecke
5
Brynlea Mahlen
4
For Cass Lake-Bena
Points
Gabrielle Fineday
18
Alexiah Rose
15
Anika Wind
3
Tylicia Graves-Desjarlait
1
Terri Wind
1
Mataya Mitchell
1