Kindred girls pulls off win in overtime over Parshall

MINOT, N.D. – Close games have been rare for Kindred this season. But the Vikings have proven two games in a row that they can handle the pressure. On Thursday, it took an overtime. But Brooke Hiatt’s 3-point basket gave Kindred the decisive points in a 55-54 victory against Parshall in the quarterfinals of the North Dakota Class B state girls basketball tournament. “I was really nervous,” Hiatt said. “But I knew we could pull it off.”
Hiatt’s trey from the right wing gave the Vikings a 55-51 lead with 55 seconds left. Michelle Risan answered with a 3-pointer for Parshall with 36 seconds left. Kindred hung on, icing the win when Sierra Graff intercepted a pass in the waning seconds. Kindred improved to 25-0. Its first 23 games were all won by eight or more points. But the Region 1 final was won by the Vikings 64-61 over Fairmount-Campbell-Tintah. “Playing in that final in the region was good for us,” Kindred coach Perry Piatz said. “Here again, we didn’t panic. We made plays when we needed to.” Kindred trailed 46-43 late in regulation. With 15 seconds left, Graff scored to pull Kindred within one. A Risan free throw pushed the lead back to 47-45, but Alexis Piatz drove the lane for a layup with 5 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Parshall scored the initial overtime basket, but Kindred answered with an 8-2 run capped by Hiatt’s trey. “I shot and hoped it would go in,” the sophomore said. “I kept my composure and shot like I always do.” The 8-2 run came on four straight Kindred possessions – the first time the Vikings had scored on more than two consecutive possessions in the game. “We only shoot like 33 percent from the field,” Perry Piatz said. “But we can go off on 10-0 runs. We’re a streaky team. “Brooke has made like 40 3-pointers this year. She’s one of our best shooters. They took away her shots for the most part. But we have total confidence in her. And she’s not afraid of big shots.” Risan’s 3-pointer came with 36 seconds left. But Kindred held onto the ball until drawing a foul with 6 seconds left. “We wanted to force a turnover (before midcourt), and then we wanted the girls to foul,” Parshall coach Mervin Packineau said. “For whatever reason, we didn’t foul right away. So instead of having the ball at 20 seconds, we got it at 6 seconds. That’s not a whole lot of time to work with. “We were just hoping to get a (late) shot off, and we knew it would be contested. But we couldn’t get it off. Kindred played pretty good defense.” Alexis Piatz had 18 points and Alexandra Erickson 10 to lead Kindred, with each also getting 10 rebounds. Parshall (20-6) was led by Risan with 23 points. Aulora Severance had 13 points and 14 rebounds, while Cheyenne Packineau also had a double-double with 12 points and 11 boards. P              13    26    37    47    54 K                8    27    41    47    55 P: Michelle Risan 23, Aulora Severance 13, Kiara Packineau 2, Veronica Lyson 4, Cheyenne Packineau 12. Totals 19-47 15-28 54 K: Alexis Piatz 18, Alexandra Erickson 10, Mikayla Reinke 7, Brooke Hiatt 8, Sophia Abraham 6, Sierra Graff 6. Totals 21-65 7-15 55. Rebounds: Parshall 39 (Severance 14), Kindred 45 (Piatz 10, Erickson 10); Assists - Parshall 12 (Risan 4, C. Packineau 4), Kindred 15 (Piatz 6); 3-point baskets - Parshall 1 (Risan 1), Kindred 6 (Piatz 2, Hiatt 2, Reinke 1, Abraham 1). Total fouls - Parshall 16, Kindred 18.   DeVillers writes for the Grand Forks Herald.MINOT, N.D. – Close games have been rare for Kindred this season. But the Vikings have proven two games in a row that they can handle the pressure.On Thursday, it took an overtime. But Brooke Hiatt’s 3-point basket gave Kindred the decisive points in a 55-54 victory against Parshall in the quarterfinals of the North Dakota Class B state girls basketball tournament.“I was really nervous,” Hiatt said. “But I knew we could pull it off.”
Hiatt’s trey from the right wing gave the Vikings a 55-51 lead with 55 seconds left. Michelle Risan answered with a 3-pointer for Parshall with 36 seconds left. Kindred hung on, icing the win when Sierra Graff intercepted a pass in the waning seconds.Kindred improved to 25-0. Its first 23 games were all won by eight or more points. But the Region 1 final was won by the Vikings 64-61 over Fairmount-Campbell-Tintah.“Playing in that final in the region was good for us,” Kindred coach Perry Piatz said. “Here again, we didn’t panic. We made plays when we needed to.”Kindred trailed 46-43 late in regulation. With 15 seconds left, Graff scored to pull Kindred within one. A Risan free throw pushed the lead back to 47-45, but Alexis Piatz drove the lane for a layup with 5 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.Parshall scored the initial overtime basket, but Kindred answered with an 8-2 run capped by Hiatt’s trey.“I shot and hoped it would go in,” the sophomore said. “I kept my composure and shot like I always do.”The 8-2 run came on four straight Kindred possessions – the first time the Vikings had scored on more than two consecutive possessions in the game.“We only shoot like 33 percent from the field,” Perry Piatz said. “But we can go off on 10-0 runs. We’re a streaky team.“Brooke has made like 40 3-pointers this year. She’s one of our best shooters. They took away her shots for the most part. But we have total confidence in her. And she’s not afraid of big shots.”Risan’s 3-pointer came with 36 seconds left. But Kindred held onto the ball until drawing a foul with 6 seconds left.“We wanted to force a turnover (before midcourt), and then we wanted the girls to foul,” Parshall coach Mervin Packineau said. “For whatever reason, we didn’t foul right away. So instead of having the ball at 20 seconds, we got it at 6 seconds. That’s not a whole lot of time to work with.“We were just hoping to get a (late) shot off, and we knew it would be contested. But we couldn’t get it off. Kindred played pretty good defense.”Alexis Piatz had 18 points and Alexandra Erickson 10 to lead Kindred, with each also getting 10 rebounds.Parshall (20-6) was led by Risan with 23 points. Aulora Severance had 13 points and 14 rebounds, while Cheyenne Packineau also had a double-double with 12 points and 11 boards.P              13    26    37    47    54K                8    27    41    47    55P: Michelle Risan 23, Aulora Severance 13, Kiara Packineau 2, Veronica Lyson 4, Cheyenne Packineau 12. Totals 19-47 15-28 54K: Alexis Piatz 18, Alexandra Erickson 10, Mikayla Reinke 7, Brooke Hiatt 8, Sophia Abraham 6, Sierra Graff 6. Totals 21-65 7-15 55.Rebounds: Parshall 39 (Severance 14), Kindred 45 (Piatz 10, Erickson 10); Assists - Parshall 12 (Risan 4, C. Packineau 4), Kindred 15 (Piatz 6); 3-point baskets - Parshall 1 (Risan 1), Kindred 6 (Piatz 2, Hiatt 2, Reinke 1, Abraham 1). Total fouls - Parshall 16, Kindred 18. DeVillers writes for the Grand Forks Herald.