Sweeping sensation

• Kia Herbel

Press Photo by Dustin Monke Dickinson State junior center Kia Herbel goes up for a layup while Minot State senior center Lashay Bagsby, left, goes for the block during a Dakota Athletic Conference women's basketball game on Wednesday night at Scott Gymnasium.

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The Dickinson State women’s basketball team is doing what championship teams do.

On Wednesday night, the Blue Hawks fought through a difficult situation and won a big Dakota Athletic Conference game with a clutch shot.

Kelly Pankratz’s 5-foot jumper from the left baseline sat on the rim for a moment before rolling in with 2 seconds left, giving the 14th-ranked Blue Hawks a 61-59 victory over Minot State on Wednesday night at Scott Gymnasium.

“Great teams can battle through adversity like we did in the first half and come back and win games,” DSU coach Guy Fridley said.

The Blue Hawks (16-5, 6-1 DAC) had quite a bit of hardship to battle through – and not just in the game.

In the morning, junior center Kia Herbel – the team’s leading scorer and rebounder – had a hypoglycemic episode that caused her to faint and hit her head on a cabinet in her apartment.

With Herbel fully recovered by game time, Fridley thought his team’s troubles were over.

Then, the Beavers (12-10, 3-5 DAC) climbed to a 17-2 lead just 6:28 into the first half.

“The day and the game couldn’t have started out any worse for us,” Fridley said.

But, the Blue Hawks battled through their difficulties and found a way to hold onto first place in the DAC.

With Herbel stymied by the Beavers’ interior defense, Pankratz and other players off the bench sparked DSU’s comeback.

The Blue Hawks clawed their way back by the 5-minute mark, when a shot in the post by Kia Herbel made it 21-17.

But, the Beavers kept DSU scoreless for the next four minutes and went into halftime leading 30-21.

“I thought we defended very well,” Minot State coach Sheila Green-Gerding said. “… It seems like when we needed a bucket, we came up with one.”

MacKenzie Mack had eight points and Lashay Bagsby had six during the run. Mack, a Scranton High School graduate, finished with 16 points. Bagsby had 12 points and eight rebounds.

“Mack plays her heart out every game,” Green-Gerding said. “She gives you everything she’s got and never spots coming at you.”

DSU had a similar philosophy in the second half.

Herbel scored DSU’s first nine points after halftime and Kelsey Boedeker sank a 3-pointer from the right side a little more than 6 minutes into the half to give DSU its first lead, 38-37.

The sophomore guard scored 10 points in a 3:12 span to help the Blue Hawks regain the momentum in second half. She finished with 12 points, five rebounds and three assists.

DSU held onto small leads for much of the second half. But, back-to-back shots in the post by Mack and Bagsby put the Beavers up 59-57 with a minute left.

Herbel sank a shot in the post with 50 seconds left to tie the game at 59. The 6-foot-2 post said better ball movement in the second half freed her up for easier baskets.

“I got some great passes from the guards,” said Herbel, who finished with team highs of 16 points and eight rebounds. “Coach said we needed to penetrate me and that’s what’ll get us more touches inside.”

After calling a time out 16 seconds left, Fridley drew up a play based on what defense Minot State showed. The play, intended to free up senior guard Ashley Emmons, didn’t go exactly as planned and instead left Pankratz alone beneath the basket.

“I got really scared because Lashay Bagsby was right there,” Pankratz said. “… I saw Ashley was stuck, so I cut baseline. I saw an opening.”

Pankratz’s said the game-winner was the first of her basketball-playing career.

“That was the biggest shot Kelly’s hit in her Hawk uniform,” Fridley said.

MINOT STATE (3-5, 12-10): MacKenzie Mack 7-10 0-0 16, Lashay Bagsby 6-8 0-0 12, Holly Siverling 3-5 1-1 7, Whitney Lofteanes 2-8 1-3 7, Caroline Folven 2-9 2-2 6, Dora Garza 2-4 0-0 5, Sam Medcalf 1-4 0-0 3, Caitlin Durkin 1-3 0-0 3. Totals: 24-51 4-6 59.

DICKINSON STATE (7-1, 16-5): Kia Herbel 7-9 2-2 16, Kelsey Boedeker 5-6 0-0 12, Kelly Pankratz 2-6 6-8 10, Ashley Emmons 4-10 0-1 9, Juanita Newsom 2-5 2-2 6, Krystal Burns 2-3 0-0 4, Jennifer Marquez 1-5 0-0 2, Mindy Vanderpan 0-1 2-2 2. Totals: 23-46 12-15 61.

Halftime: Minot 30-21. Total fouls: MSU 18, DSU 11. Technical fouls: Names (delete if none) Fouled out: Names (delete if none.) 3-point goals: MSU 7-20 (Mack 2-4 Lofteanes 2-6, Garza 1-2, Durkins 1-3 Medcalf 1-3 Folven 0-2), DSU 3-11 (Boedeker 2-3 Emmons 1-3, Vanderpan 0-1, Marquez 0-2Pankratz 0-2). Rebounds: MSU 25 (Bagsby 8), DSU 26 (Herbel 8). Assists: MSU 15 (Mack 5), DSU 14 (Pankratz 5). Steals: MSU 9 (Mack 3), DSU 8 (Pankratz 3). Blocks: MSU 1 (Siverling), DSU 1 (Herbel). Turnovers: MSU 20 (Medcalf 6), DSU 20 (two with 5).

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