'Cats pick up another big win, beat Washington 55-50

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BROOKINGS – The 'Cats just keep knocking off top teams.

Brookings led Washington by two at halftime but had to overcome a five-point fourth quarter deficit to post a 55-50 nonconference win over the Warriors on Thursday night at Bob Jostad Gymnasium.

“Really happy with the adversity ‘face’ we showed late in the fourth quarter – we struggle with that at times and I thought, ‘we got down and they have all of the momentum,’ and our girls stepped up,” said Bobcat head coach Mitch McLagan. “We could sit here and go through name after name … they just stepped up – I look at Ava Burns, who doesn’t show up in the box score – what she did for us defensively tonight.

“In the second half, we played really good defense; in the first half, we played really poor defense. … they beat us in transition; we made some halftime adjustments and our girls really stepped up and made those adjustments.”

The teams set a fast pace in the first half as the score was tied 17-17 after eight minutes as both teams lit it up from the field with Washington going 7-of-10 while the Bobcats were 7-of-13 (54 percent).

Brookings took a 35-33 lead into the intermission after knocking down half of its shots from the floor – 13-of-26, which included a 6-for-15 performance from behind the arc – while the Warriors finished 14-of-24 (58 percent), with three 3-pointers.

Washington scored the first five points of the third quarter to take a 38-35 lead, but Michaela Jewett answered with a trey to tie the game for the sixth time on the night, and then, hit two free throws to put the ‘Cats back on top, 40-38, with 3:30 to play.

The Warriors closed the quarter on a 6-2 run to lead 44-42 going into the final frame before putting together a 5-2 surge over the first four minutes of the fourth to go up, 49-44.

Brookings responded as Johanna Miller converted two free throws; Jewett scored in the lane; and then, threaded the needle to an open Miller for a bunny that gave the Bobcats a 50-49 advantage with 1:38 on the clock.

Sydni Schetan went 1-for-2 from the foul line on Washington’s next possession to make it 50-50 – the eighth tie of the game – before Jewett again scored down low.

The Warriors couldn’t get a shot to drop and then had to foul four times to send Brookings to the foul line.

That strategy didn’t work as Miller converted 3-of-4 from the foul line in the final 30 seconds to put Washington away.

Jewett posted a double-double of 27 points and 13 rebounds, to go along with three blocks, an assist and a steal, while Miller finished with 12 points, seven boards, a pair of blocks and one takeaway.

Carolyn Hieb added eight points and seven assists as Burns chipped in with five points, four boards, two dimes and a steal. Alli Gordon knocked down a 3-pointer in the first half to round out the Bobcat scoring as they improved to 7-2 overall.

Lily Bartling, Samiya Jami and Peyton Rymerson scored nine points apiece as Washington dropped to 7-3 on the season.

Brookings takes on Yankton on Tuesday at the Summit Center. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.

BROOKINGS 55, WASHINGTON 50

Washington (7-3)

Lily Bartling 4-9 1-2 9, Libby Nachtigal 0-1 1-2 1, Samiya Jami 4-9 1-1 9, Brynn Heinert 2-5 0-0 5, Peyton Rymerson 4-14 0-0 9, Eden Hullinger 0-1 0-0 0, Rylyn Fink 1-1 0-0 3, Brielle Biteler 2-6 0-0 5, Jacee Johannsen 0-0 0-0 0, Sydni Schetnan 3-7 2-4 8. Totals 20-53 5-9 50.

Brookings (7-2)

Michaela Jewett 10-18 3-4 27, Johanna Miller 3-6 6-8 12, Alli Gordon 1-6 0-0 3, Carolyn Hieb 3-7 0-0 8, Ava Burns 2-6 1-2 5, Regan Weisbeck 0-2 0-0 0, Kailee Bartels 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-46 10-14 55.

Washington 17  16  11  6    50

Brookings    17  18  7  13    55

3-point goals – W 5-13 (Bartling 0-1, Heinert 1-1, Rymerson 1-7, Fink 1-1, Biteler 2-3); B 7-24 (Jewett 4-10, Gordon 1-4, Hieb 2-6, Burns 0-2, Weisbeck 0-2). Rebounds – W 38 (Bartling 8); B 30 (Jewett 13). Assists – W 8 (Hullinger 3); B 11 (Hieb 7). Steals – W 4 (Nachtigal, Jami, Hullinger, Fink); B 4 (Jewett, Miller, Gordon, Burns). Blocks – W 3 (Schetnan 2, Bartling); B 7 (Jewett 3, Miller 2, Hieb, Bartels). Turnovers – W 12; B 9. Total fouls – W 13; B 8. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.

Junior Varsity

Washington 49, Brookings 28

Points – Emily Rystrom 8, Regan Weisbeck 5

Sophomore

Washington 42, Brookings 35

Points – Ainsley Shelsta 24, Olivia Jorgenson 4, Hailey Sampson 4, Skylar Hinricher 3

Freshman A

Washington 37, Brookings 35

Points – Allie Clark 12, Bailey Waterman 4, Kat Charging 4

Freshman B

Brookings 23, Washington 18

Points – Bayleigh Morson 8, Ella Bisgard 4, Brooklyn McGuire 4, Madison Overby 4