Hot second-half shooting was the difference Tuesday night as the Spirit Lake girls basketball team opened the Lakes Conference season with a 58-43 win over visiting LeMars. The 14th-ranked Indians hit four of their seven three-pointers after the halftime break, as they built a 20-point lead. KJ Veldman had the hottest hand of any player on the floor, burying four from downtown as part of a 26-point, ten-rebound night. Alissa Christopher also reached double digits with ten points. The Bulldogs committed 16 first half turnovers and were keyed by Emily Pick with eleven points. LeMars falls to an even 2-2 on the season and start 0-1 in league play. The Indians will look to improve their 4-1 overall record and 1-0 conference mark when Storm Lake comes to town on Friday, a matchup that will air on KUOO Campus Radio.
Click here for the postgame interview with coach Rick Reinking.
Defending Lakes champs Estherville-Lincoln Central began their title defense with an easy 53-16 win at Emmetsburg on Tuesday. The second-ranked Midgets held the E-Hawks scoreless in the games first quarter, a drought that carried on for another two-and-a-half minutes in the second quarter. Alyssa Johnson tallied 16 points for ELC, which is now 5-0 to start the year, will play at Spencer on Friday. Emmetsburg’s top scorer was Paige Naig with five points as they drop to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in conference matchups. They visit LeMars this Friday, and that contest can be heard on Y100.
Elsewhere in the Lakes Conference, Spencer notched an opening night win over Cherokee, 54-41, and No. 11 Western Christian pounded on Storm Lake, 77-17.
A 17-5 third quarter in favor of the Okoboji girls basketball team erased a thirteen point halftime deficit against West Lyon and forced overtime, but the Pioneers were unable to pull out the Siouxland Conference win in the extra session, falling 45-43 at home. Skylar Hanson led Okoboji with thirteen points, including a perfect 6-of-6 at the free throw line. Mikkinzie Peschong notched a double-double of eleven points, ten boards. For the game, the Pioneers went 15-for-27 at the charity stripe. They now sit at 1-3 in league play and 2-3 overall, with a road game at Sheldon on Friday.
Click here for comments from coach Abby Goodlaxson.
The rest of the games in the Siouxland Conference saw Sibley-Ocheyedan earn a second league victory, taking down Rock Valley, 47-34. Central Lyon topped Sioux Center by a bucket, 57-55. George-Little Rock earned a 42-35 home win over Sheldon, and seventh-ranked MOC-Floyd Valley dispensed of Boyden-Hull, 51-33.
Harris-Lake Park is 1-0 to start the Cornbelt Conference schedule after taking down West Bend-Mallard on the road Tuesday by a 51-38 final. The Lady Wolves are now 2-2 on the season and host CWL on Friday.
Also in the Cornbelt, Clay Central-Everly blew by CWL, 56-30.
Over in the War Eagle Conference, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn earned a third consecutive victory, going out of conference to defeat Trinity Christian, 33-28, improving to 3-1, and South O’Brien secured a league win, squeaking out a 39-37 decision over Remsen St. Mary’s.
Elsewhere, undefeated Sioux Central dominated Alta/Aurelia, 52-18.
North of the border, Martin County West defeated Truman by a 62-45 margin, and Fairmont took an 81-72 victory at Worthington.
