DEVILS LAKE — Here’s a single sentence to sum up the quirkiness of Monday’s matchup between Devils Lake and Four Winds/Minnewaukan.
FW/M scored only 10 points in the first half, yet came within five in the third quarter.
But even that doesn’t tell the whole story. It doesn’t include how the Indians went on a 22-11 run after blood had to be disinfected off of the basketball. It also doesn’t mention how Ava Beck’s jolt in the fourth quarter helped lock down a 56-43 Devils Lake win.
But alas, all of that happened, and more. The Firebirds (10-8, 8-3) locked up the No. 3 seed in Region 2 by beating the Indians (12-6, 8-6) in a two-point region contest at the Devils Lake Sports Center.
“Definitely some ups and downs throughout that one,” Devils Lake head coach Justin Klein said.
For FW/M, it was the last region game of the season. The Indians will settle for the No. 4 seed going into postseason play.
“We haven’t found that consistency we need,” FW/M head coach Sean Gourd Sr. said. “Sometimes we look good, and sometimes we look bad.”
The downside of that swing was on full display in the first half of Monday’s game. The Firebirds were simply dominant defensively. They came out with full pressure and a plan to double-team Suri Gourd, and it worked.
“We were just rotating well, and everybody was up there and having good pressure,” Beck said.
Devils Lake induced turnovers galore, including five steals by Presley Brown.
“I thought the defense intensity was there,” Klein said. “I thought we did a much better job tonight playing more with our feet and our body than our hands. I thought we didn’t go for too many steals, but when the ball was able to be stolen, we were able to steal it, I guess. … We didn’t sell out on defense like sometimes we do.”
Neither team scored until almost three minutes in.
Gourd made two free throws for the game’s first points. Those turned out to be her only points of the first half. She averages about 25 points a game, including a 48-point performance against Grafton. It was an unprecedentedly quiet half for her.
“We just kept talking on defense, and we just made sure we knew where she was at,” Beck said.
The Indians went about a quarter’s worth of time without scoring. After tying it at 6-6 in the middle of the first, they didn’t make another basket until 2:51 in the second. Devils Lake went on a 20-0 run in that time.
“And I think we’re capable of that,” Klein said. “We haven’t seen that a lot. We haven’t done that a lot. We were pretty locked in and focused, I think, on defense.”
Cailee Hanson had two layups for four of FW/M’s 10 first-half points. The only other points were two each from Sophia Alberts and Mercie Morgan.
“Their game plan was pretty obvious: Double Suri, get the ball out of her hands and let the other girls beat them,” Gourd Sr. said. “Girls didn’t step up. They didn’t come get it.”
But then blood, of all things, got in the way. Tylie Brodina, after missing a free throw, brought the ball back to the bench while contending with a bloody nose. Helpers from the sideline wiped blood off the ball and the floor. Emma Hofstad entered and shot the second free throw in place of Brodina.
“I think the whole blood on the shorts, and Tylie got scratched there, I think that kind of changed the momentum a little bit,” Klein said.
Then Brown, who’d scored six in the first quarter, missed a layup. Tenley Triepke went to the free throw line and missed her shot. Care had to be taken to the ball, again, this time using a spray bottle.
The Indians had a whole new life coming out of the locker room from halftime.
They rebounded better. They forced some turnovers of their own. Gourd finally made her first two field goals of the night, while adding 4-of-4 free throws. She ended up scoring nine in the third quarter and 16 in the second half, in order to finish with 18.
“We gave a different look defensively, and we got out and pushed the ball. Then we attacked the basket,” Gourd Sr. said. “We played a lot smarter. We were on the aggressive. … The girls weren’t afraid.”
Klein noted the Firebirds’ troubles against FW/M’s 1-3-1 zone in the second half.
“We struggled against that,” he said. “And I think we were a little tired at times.”
After triples by Gourd and Hanson, the Indians’ deficit suddenly became a very manageable 33-28.
Brown and Mia Elsperger each had key layups to fend off some of FW/M’s fight.
Jenae Martinson landed a three at the buzzer of the third quarter — a much-needed boost to make it 40-32. Martinson scored six in the second half to give her nine in the game, but she ended up fouling out.
FW/M’s last real chance to complete the comeback came early in the fourth quarter, when Gourd hit a corner three. That made it 42-35.
Devils Lake scored nine straight points from there. Brodina hit a mid-range shot for her first points of the half. Beck drove in for an and-one that extended the lead back to double digits.
“Just keep attacking the hole and keep scoring,” Beck said of her mindset.
The Indians were hit with a bench warning and a technical foul within a minute’s span as the game started to get away from them for the last time.
Beck had the final dagger, a triple to make it 56-39. She finished with a team-high 16 points.
“What we saw in the fourth quarter, we need to see all the time with Ava,” Klein said. “Took the ball to the hole. Made some free throws [5-of-7]. And did a nice job kind of taking control of the game, which is what we need her to do. … That’s back-to-back games she’s hit a three. So that’s key, because she’s really struggled throughout the season.”
In the end, Devils Lake held on.
The Firebirds will be the No. 3 seed at worst, with an outside shot at the No. 2 seed if they beat Thompson.
“It’s just going to come down to that region tournament,” Klein said. “I don’t really think it matters who you play. It’s a pretty competitive region.”
The Indians are done with region play but still have three more home games before entering the tournament as the No. 4 seed.
“Hopefully use these two next games to tighten up some things and get some momentum going, I guess,” Gourd Sr. said.
Leave a Reply