Claire Heilman (Photos by Noah Clooten)
DEVILS LAKE — The Firebirds are reclaiming some of the energy they need with the regional tournament approaching.
The No. 3-ranked Devils Lake girls’ basketball team handled business Saturday. In the first game of a girls-boys doubleheader against Central Cass (12-9, 6-6), the Firebirds (17-3, 7-1) won 65-37. It was Devils Lake’s fourth straight win of 20-plus points.
“I thought we had good energy again,” Firebirds head coach Justin Klein said. “I thought we were flying around the press. I thought we did a nice job rotating and did what we wanted to do in the game planning.”
Senior Claire Heilman led Devils Lake with 14 points, in what was the final home game for her and five other Firebirds seniors. Junior Presley Brown added 13 off the bench. Sophomore Tylie Brodina scored 12 and also had assists to players like Heilman and Brown.
“We’ve really been playing as a team better,” Heilman said. “And just the chemistry as a whole… We’re also excited for postseason. So we’re focused on the future.”
The starting lineup had a different, all-senior look to it. Anna Shock and Kendra Eckes each got their first start of the season in honor of it being their last games in Devils Lake’s home gym. Fellow seniors Heilman, Jolie Martinson and Torri Fee also started. The Firebirds have six seniors this year, so typical starter Cabryn Fritel was on the bench to begin.
And they got off to a slow start. Heilman traded threes with Central Cass’s Avah Cotton, but the Squirrels led 14-7 after a 9-0 run.
Heilman has been one of the more potent scorers on this team despite alternating multiple times between starting and coming off the bench.
“It’s been fine,” she said. “I don’t really let starting or not get to my head.”
Klein put Fritel and Brodina in there with the team trailing 10-7. Slowly, the Firebirds started to gel together. Brown ended the Squirrels’ run, and Brodina made a nice move for her first points. After baskets by Fritel and Brown, Devils Lake led 15-14 right before the end of the first quarter.
Central Cass briefly went back ahead on a pair of free throws, but Devils Lake responded with an 8-0 run. Brodina hit a three, and Heilman had four points in that span. Brodina, displaying her versatility like she did on Friday, made a nice, sharp pass that put Heilman in perfect position to score.
“She’s done a much better job the second half of the season,” Klein said of Brodina. “She’s seen some different defenses, whether it’s a chaser or whether it’s an arm bar. So she’s done a much better job passing the ball.”
The Firebirds finished the first half on a 9-0 run and only allowed six points in the second quarter. The scoring was spread out, with Heilman and Brown’s seven each tying for the team lead at the half. Martinson and Brodina each had five. The lead was 36-20.
“I think both of them [Heilman and Brown] have had ups and down throughout this year, but I think they’re starting to play a lot better,” Klein said. “They’re playing a lot more aggressive, but yet not taking themselves out of the game.”
On the defensive end, Devils Lake allowed only six points in the second quarter. Klein credited the team’s traps.
“I think [the Squirrels] didn’t know how to handle the pressure,” Klein said. “We really trapped them a long ways from the basket, so it didn’t give them an opportunity.”
The Firebirds went back to their usual starting five for the second half: Martinson, Brodina, Fritel, Brown and Fee.
Brown had back-to-back buckets, and Brodina swished a three as Devils Lake ran its lead up to 47-23 with another 9-0 stretch. Heilman also hit her second triple of the game.
Heilman scored two more baskets in the fourth quarter to finish with the team lead in points. Mia Elsperger also had four points off the bench.
“I don’t really think much about it,” Heilman said of her individual performance. “I just try to get the rebounds, helping my teammates get open. And they find me a lot. So it goes both ways.”
Devils Lake wraps up its regular season with a region game against Grafton on Feb. 18 before heading to Mayville the following week for the Region 2 tournament. The Firebirds are in position to be the No. 1 seed in the bracket. They’ll likely play the winner of Grafton vs. Four Winds/Minnewaukan in their first game on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
And they could very well be set for a rematch with Carrington in the region final on Feb. 27.
“One game at a time,” Klein said. “And then we don’t know our opponent until Monday night. So we’ll prepare for those two teams who we play. But either way, our game plan is to pressure, pressure, push the ball. Score in transition and not stick back. Slow the game up. And that’s just what we’ve gotta keep doing.”
