DETROIT LAKES, Minn. – No. 10-ranked Thief River Falls overcame a slow start to defeat Detroit Lakes 71-65 Tuesday night in Minnesota Class 3A, Section 8 girls basketball at Ralph Anderson Gymnasium.
The Lakers jumped out to an 11-0 lead and held the Prowlers scoreless for the opening four minutes. Thief River Falls committed seven turnovers and two missed shots before head coach Jeff Loe called a timeout with 13 minutes, 54 seconds to go in the first half.
The Prowlers came out of the break a different team and doubled up the Lakers on a 22-11 run to tie the score.
“We just settled down,” Loe said. “It was a game of runs.”
Thief River turned the tables forcing turnovers from the Lakers and made a second run of 22-8 to lead 44-30 at halftime.
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“They’ve got nice size. They’re big, really play well together, pass the ball well, and they finished some shots tonight,” Lakers head coach Mike Hoganson said. “Credit to them that they knocked down those perimeter shots.”
Thief River Falls had an advantage down low with three players taller than 6 feet, but it was outside shooting that enabled the Prowlers to come back and seize momentum.
Makayla Peterson hit four 3-pointers in the first half and finished with 16 points.
“We told the girls we’ve got to hit some outside shots to loosen them up, and we’ve done a pretty good job of that all year,” Loe said. “Makayla Peterson probably had the best night of her career.”
DL rallied in the second half slowly chipping away at the lead.
“We showed a lot of heart to come back and keep battling,” said Hoganson. “We can build on that. There’s some consistency things we can work on – clean up some things, taking care of the basketball. Clean that up and we’ll be just fine.”
Kyley Foster fueled the Lakers run, scoring 11 of her 19 points in the second half. Teammate Shay Nielsen also scored 19 to lead the Lakers. Grace Swenson scored in double figures with 10 points.
Nielsen cut the Prowlers lead to 61-60 with four minutes to play, capping a 30-17 Lakers run.
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After an empty trip, Nielsen was called for traveling in the paint while looking to give the Lakers the lead, and Peterson came down the floor and nailed another 3-pointer to put the Prowlers up by two possessions 64-60.
Thief River Falls built the lead to eight points, but a Foster 3 and a basket by Kyra Vagle got the Lakers back to a one-possession game down 68-65.
Foster fouled out of the game, and Meleah Biermaier iced it from the free-throw line. Biermaier led the Prowlers scoring 17 points.
Thief River Falls’ trio of 6-footers Madison Brekke, Jenna Tadych and freshman Tiahna Nicholson scored 12, 11 and nine points, respectively.
Thief River Falls has won six of the past seven games between the two teams.
“It was a fun game to coach,” Loe said. “The whole time I’m watching, no matter what happened it was a fun game. Luckily, we came out on top.”
Half: TRF 44, DL 30
TRF: Biermaier 17, Peterson 16, Brekker 12, Tadych 11, Nicholson 9, Praska 6.
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DL: Foster 19, Nielsen 19, Swenson 10, Schramel 8, Vagle 5, Jorgenson 4.
Williams is the sports editor for the Detroit Lakes Tribune
