The Fertile-Beltrami Girl’s Basketball team used tough defense to beat the Blackduck Dukes in a back-and-forth battle at the Northern Blast Classic at the Ralph Englestad Arena.
FIRST HALF-
The game started with mostly free throws before Stephanie Miller and Katrina Hitchen hit back-to-back threes to make the 7-4 Fertile-Beltrami. It was back-and-forth for the next few minutes before Fertile-Beltrami went on a 5-0 run, featuring a Tori Erickson two-pointer and a Tia Werpy steal and bucket, to make the score 16-7 Falcons.
Blackduck began to storm back with a 7-0 run to make it 16-14 before Erickson made a lay-up to end the run. Blackduck ended the half with two free throws from Aunika Sundvall and a Marrissa Mills lay-up that tied it up at 18-18.
SECOND HALF –
Blackduck’s Sundvall made a two-pointer to give the Drakes the lead 20-18. The Falcons responded with two straight lay-ups from Erickson to retake the lead 22-20. Blackduck went on a 5-0 run of their own, including a Sundvall three-pointer to make it 25-22
Fertile-Beltrami went on a 14-1, including a pair of Erickson two-pointers and two Madison Stueness lay-ups, to make it 36-26. Blackduck responded with an 8-1 run, including a Kenley Anderson lay-up that gave the Drakes the lead with under two minutes to go.
Fertile-Beltrami’s Erickson hit the go-ahead floater to make it 39-38. Blackduck had a pair of free throws shortly after that, but they missed them both. Erickson made a free throw to make it 40-38 before Bailey Iverson got a steal and forced Blackduck to foul. Iverson made one of her free throws to give the Falcons a 41-38 lead. The Drakes had one last possession to try to tie the game, but some excellent defense from Iverson forced a tough shot that did not go in, and Fertile-Beltrami won the game 41-38.
Fertile-Beltrami improves to 3-2 on the season and takes on Bagley on Tuesday. Blackduck falls to 5-3 on the season and takes on Laporte on Tuesday.
TO LISTEN TO TORI ERICKSON’S POST-GAME COMMENTS, CLICK BELOW
TO LISTEN TO COACH KELLY STENE’S POST-GAME COMMENTS, CLICK BELOW
Audio Player
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1st
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2nd
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Final
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Fertile-Beltrami
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18 | 23 | 41 |
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Blackduck
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18 | 20 | 38 |
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For F-B
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Points
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Rebounds
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Assists/Steals
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| Tori Erickson | 19 | 11 | 2 steals |
| Stephanie Miller | 7 | 2 | 1 assist, 5 steals |
| Katrina Hitchen | 5 | 3 | 1 assist, 1 steal |
| Madison Stueness | 4 | 5 | 1 steal |
| Tia Wepry | 2 | 6 |
2 assists, 6 steals
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| Mya Erickson | 2 | ||
| Bailey Iverson | 2 | 2 | 1 assist, 2 steals |
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For Blackduck
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Points
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| Aunika Sundvall | 13 |
| Marrissa Mills | 6 |
| Chloe Cook | 5 |
| Kylie Moen | 4 |
| Kenley Anderson | 4 |
| Kalli Gross | 3 |
| Bailee Nord | 3 |
