KILLDEER - The bench for the Killdeer girls basketball was yelling “D it up!” The Killdeer cheerleaders were chanting “D it up!”
They weren’t quite in sync, but it didn’t matter.
Whichever group of five Cowboys happened to be on the floor seemed to be playing defense in perfect symmetry.
Killdeer (1-1) frustrated Hettinger-Scranton Tuesday, winning their first-round game in the Roughrider Tournament 61-29 at Killdeer High School. The Night Hawks were limited to single digits in every quarter.
“I think our defense is what led to our offense,” Cowboys head coach Ashlee Viveros said, “and I was really excited to see some girls hit some shots and get some confidence from the 3-point line. A lot of teams look past us in our outside game, so it was nice to see them hit those outside shots.”
Killdeer was 7 of 9 from outside, with sophomores Sydney Anderson and Bridgette Reiss each making both of their attempts. Classmate Trae Murray led all players with 18 points. Murray also added four assists, four blocks and nine rebounds.
The Night Hawks (0-1), when not being hounded into 27 turnovers, actually got some decent penetration into the lane and plenty of looks underneath the hoop, but it seemed as though a lid was preventing any of them from falling. Hettinger-Scranton shot 11 of 50 from the field (22 percent).
“We really struggled putting the ball in the basket,” Night Hawks head coach Kelly Pierce said. “We got good shots, but some of it was the first game of the year. Young kids are taking shots and they have some nerves.”
Hettinger-Scranton sophomore Molly Holt and senior Lizzy Thompson each scored nine points, and freshman Abbie Kludt added seven, but points were hard to come by otherwise.
The Night Hawks fell further into a hole because the Cowboys outmuscled them on the glass 42-22, including 20 offensive rebounds.
“They really physically took it to us on the boards, and that really hurt us,” Pierce said. “They’re definitely taller, but they have some more varsity experience and they brought some more physical play. As the season goes on, that’s something our girls will understand and adjust to.”
The Cowboys move on to the second round of the tourney to face New England at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, and the Night Hawks will play Beulah in a consolation game at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at KHS.
Killdeer 61, Hettinger-Scranton 29
HS 8 8 6 7 - 29
K 22 15 9 15 - 61
HS: Lizzy Thompson 9, Molly Holt 9, Abbie Kludt 7, Brianna Stanford 2, Nicole Landsem 1. Taylor Hestekin 1.
K: Trae Murray 18, Sydney Anderson 13, Bridgette Reiss 6, Morgan Marquardt 6, Kiara Mason 6, Abbie Zastoupil 5, Taycee Butts 3, Gabi Flaget 2, Shawnee Hansen 2.
3-pointers: HS 0, K 7 (Anderson 2, Reiss 2, Marquardt 1, Butts 1, Zastoupil 1). Free throws: HS 7-16, K 6-13. Total fouls: HS 14, K 14. Rebounds: HS 22 (Kludt 7), K 42 (two tied with 9). Assists: HS 5 (two tied with 2), K 14 (two tied with 4). Steals: HS 6 (Hestekin 2), K 15 (two tied with 3). Blocks: HS 4 (four tied with 1), K 14 (three tied with 4). Turnovers: HS 27, K 17.
