The No. 5 Devils Lake girls’ basketball team took home its third straight win on Saturday, beating Kindred 57-45.
Here are three things we learned from the Firebirds’ latest success.
They can adapt on a whim
Sometimes, things don’t go how you drew it up in your head — even on the morning of the game.
A last-minute schedule change forced Devils Lake to play 9-3 Kindred at 2:00 instead of 1-9 Beulah at 3:30. The Firebirds didn’t have as much time to prepare as they usually do. But they managed, and they did enough to win anyway.
Head coach Justin Klein admitted that it took them off from their usual routine, where they watch tape and study their upcoming opponent. They still got some tape in for about half an hour before the game, and it was enough to give Devils Lake the tools to come out on top. Klein credited the girls’ ability to put pressure on Kindred’s dribblers and force them to take tough shots.
It’s this flexibility that’s going to be key for Devils Lake going forward, especially as it gets deeper into conference play. The Firebirds are second in Division A, Region 2 right now at 8-3 overall and 2-1 in conference.
Freshman Tylie Brodina has the ability to stay in the game
A key cog in the Firebirds’ machine this season has been Tylie Brodina. Klein has talked about how she’s been streaky — and she is just a freshman on the varsity team, after all. But her resilience — not too dissimilar from what Wylee Delorme has shown for the boys’ team — was on display Saturday.
Brodina led Devils Lake with 20 points in Friday’s blowout win, carrying a team that hardly needed it in the first place. Saturday saw a slower start from her. It wasn’t necessarily that she was missing shots, but she simply wasn’t taking many, and wasn’t getting into the right positions to take open shots. That’s quite a contrast from Friday, when she was taking wide-open shots all game with little pressure on her.
But Klein said he noticed an increased willingness to shoot the ball as the game went on. And as that confidence surged, so did her performance. A three-pointer in the second quarter got her started. By the fourth quarter, she was back to her best self. She scored 10 points in the final quarter, leading a 20-point Devils Lake attack that sealed the deal on a strong victory.
Thus, Brodina still had a productive 15-point day, despite just five in the first three quarters. She wasn’t having her best day, but she hung in there and came up big for the Firebirds, which is exactly what they need. Especially as they face tougher opponents, they’re going to need Brodina to stay confident and not let a slow quarter here and there take her away from her game.
Devils Lake gained momentum ahead of the most important week of the season so far
This week is huge for the Firebirds. They’re set to play two conference opponents — Grafton on Tuesday, and Thompson on Friday.
Grafton is in fourth place in Region 2 at 4-5 overall and 1-2 in conference play. The real test, though, will be Thompson, which received all 19 of the first-place votes in last week’s polls. The Tommies have won all 11 of their games, four of which have come in conference play.
These matchups are important for Devils Lake to stay afloat in the rankings, and an opportunity to gain some ground. An upset over Thompson would go a long way, but even if they can’t beat the Tommies, beating Grafton and staying competitive against Thompson would be a successful week in its own right.
With such vital conference games coming up, it’s important that Devils Lake goes into it on the right foot. After falling to Grand Forks Red River on Jan. 2, the Firebirds had a two-game losing streak and were 5-3. Since then, they’ve won three straight to improve their record to 8-3 and reestablish themselves as one of the best teams in Division A. They’re going to need all the help they can get this week, and having the positive rhythm of a winning streak on their side is a good place to start.
A rough week could also drop them from their No. 5 ranking, while a strong week could help solidify their place amongst the top Division A teams in the state.
