Britton-Hecla hung with Sisseton for a half but couldn’t find an answer for the Redmen’s 6-1 senior center Krista Langager, who scored 27 points, in first round play of the Region 1A girls basketball tournament last week Tuesday.
Sisseton stretched a 16-point halftime lead to 26 after three periods and cruised to a 62-35 win. The Lady Braves ended their season with a 5-16 mark.
Sisseton, the third seed, downed #2 Groton Area 52-44 in region semifinal action to earn a SoDak 16 spot against Hamlin in Watertown at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The Redmen, 15-7, are seeded 14th among the final 16 and Hamlin is third with an 18-3 record.
In the other 1A semifinal top-seeded Aberdeen Roncalli stopped #4 Milbank 46-16. The Cavaliers (16-5), seeded eighth among SoDak 16 teams, will tangle with #9 Mount Vernon-Plankinton on Thursday in Redfield at 7 p.m.
Heather Storbakken led off the game with a three-pointer for the Lady Braves but Sisseton responded with a 13-1 run and Coach Terry Nelson’s crew could never get closer than eight points the rest of the game.
Maddi Micko hit a fielder to make it 20-10 at the first quarter break, and Chellon Pruitt netted two to open the second period, but Sisseton outscored the Lady Braves 16-4 over the next six minutes to lead 36-16. Daynika Zuehlke and Storbakken each hit a pair of free throws to cut that margin to 36-20 at intermission.
Storbakken swished a trey and Micko added a two-pointer to keep pace early in the third period but Sisseton went on a 15-4 run over the final four minutes of the quarter to take charge 55-29.
“We made a good run in the third quarter but you have to keep a body on Krista (Langager) and we didn’t do that,” said B-H boss Terry Nelson. “We just had some lapses. But I was pretty happy with the way we played.”
Storbakken had 12 points and Micko added eight for Britton-Hecla. Karlie Zuehlke grabbed seven rebounds and Daynika Zuehlke hauled in six.
Storbakken, RaeAnn Hagenson, and Mallory Grupe, as well as Sterling Brassfield who missed the season due to injury, will graduate from this year’s roster, but Nelson will have some experience back next year.
“We got a lot of valuable time out of the younger kids this year, but we’re not going to get any taller so our defense has to help us. We’re going to see a lot of tall teams again next season so we will have to go-go-go.”
BRITTON-HECLA: Karli Zuehlke 0 2-4 2, Rae Ann Hagenson 1 3-4 5, Heather Storbakken 3 4-8 12, Daynika Zuehlke 1 3-4 6, Maddi Micko 3 1-4 8, Chellon Pruitt 1 0-0 2. Totals 9 13-24 35
SISSETON: Elliot Hortness 5 0-0 12, Saylor Langager 2 0-0 4, Tara Nelson 1 0-0 2, Krista Langager 11 5-7 27, Kennedy Hanson 5 0-0 12, Piper Langager 1 0-0 2, Nikki Hoeger 1 0-0 3. Totals 26 5-11 62
BH (5-16) 10 20 29 35
Sisseton (14-7) 20 36 55 62
3-point goals – Storbakken 2, D. Zuehlke, Micko; Jortness 2, Hanson 2, Hoeger. Total fouls -Britton-Hecla 13; Sisseton 20.
