No matter what level opponent they’re playing, or what the score is, the Devils Lake Firebirds are always trying to improve. Even in a blowout, there are things to work on and clean up so that when the tougher opponents do come to town, they’re ready to bring their best.
Case in point was Monday evening’s matchup between the Devils Lake boys’ basketball team and the Rugby Panthers. The Firebirds soared from the moment of tipoff and never looked back, charging to a dominant 80-32 win at Devils Lake Sports Center. Wylee Delorme led the attack with 37 points in the first three quarters. The Panthers displayed quickness and athleticism against the Devils Lake defense, but they struggled to land their shots and were eventually overwhelmed by a stronger Firebirds team.
“Our main takeaway is to make sure that we maintained our defense intensity, no matter what the score was,” Devils Lake head coach Dustin Brodina said. “It did get a little out of hand, but we gotta make sure that we were focused defensively the whole time, the whole game.”
On Devils Lake’s offensive side, it was all about the 6-foot-5 senior Delorme. He scored 12 of the Firebirds’ 22 points in the first quarter — a quarter in which the defense allowed 13 points. The Firebirds were having a hard time blocking offensive rebounds, allowing the Panthers to keep their possessions alive.
“We were getting out of position a little bit. It got a little helter-skelter with us doubling the ball,” Brodina said. “We allowed three offensive rebounds in a row, which is one of our non-negotiables that we allow… We can’t take off one possession, two possessions. It’s got to be there for all 60 possessions in the game.”
Brodina voiced his criticisms to his players between quarters, telling them to be more defensive and prevent open shots.
And that message seemed to work. The Firebirds allowed just two baskets in the second quarter, both from Rugby’s leading scorer, Tucker Volk.
“We’ve only had two games in the last three weeks; it could have been some of that,” Brodina said. “But they sharpened it up that second quarter.”
Delorme kept dominating the ball for Devils Lake, following up his 12-point quarter with an additional 15 points. His style wasn’t three-pointer-heavy; most of his shots were simple, relaxed moves to the basket. He had several dunks as well, displaying some flash in front of the packed Devils Lake crowd.
“He’s a fantastic player. He’s one of the best players in the state,” Brodina said. “He can put the ball in the hole. He’s athletic… He’s gonna be playing college basketball next year at a high level. If he uses his brains to play smart, he’s probably one of the toughest players in the state.”
The team really seemed to gel in the third quarter, with Delorme still playing his best but also working well with his teammates. He had multiple assists lobbied up for him in the perfect spot, allowing him to swoop in and make a layup or a dunk with ease. The Firebirds played as a unit, not just as a one-man show, despite Delorme deservingly stealing the spotlight with his offensive prowess.
Brodina rested most of his regulars in the fourth quarter. After scoring a whopping 77 points through the first 75% of the game, the Firebirds got just enough to get to an even 80 — a three-pointer by junior Trason Beck.
Brodina’s sons, Parker and Beau, also contributed, scoring nine and six points, respectively. The tallest player on the team at 6-foot-6, Joel Nelson, added six points of his own in the second quarter.
“The thing that we gotta really focus on is playing like a team,” Brodina said. “Five guys on the court all working together, and any one of them can put the ball in the hole at any time. And we gotta make sure that everybody on the team is cognizant of that.”
Monday’s contest was just a warm-up for what Devils Lake will be facing on Thursday. The Grafton Spoilers are coming to town, looking to spoil the success Devils Lake has had this season.
Grafton is the only team ranked higher than Devils Lake in Division A, Region 2. In the latest NDHSAA poll, the Spoilers were the No. 2 team in Division A, while the Firebirds sat at No. 4. Grafton has a perfect record at 7-0 overall and 2-0 in conference, while Devils Lake is at 6-1 and 1-1, respectively.
If the Firebirds want to win their region, Thursday’s contest is massive.
“I’ve watched a lot of their film. They shoot the ball really well,” Brodina said of the Spoilers. “We gotta have defensive pressure. We can’t allow wide-open shots. We gotta close out. Because they’re going to hit those shots, and they’re gonna be able to score on those bad possessions we have on defense. It’s gonna be a fantastic, exciting game on Thursday.”
