BROOKINGS – The Bobcats started strong and finished even stronger in a 62-48 Eastern South Dakota Conference win over the Lady Governors on Saturday at Bob Jostad Gymnasium.

The ‘Cats scored the first 10 points of the game en route to a 20-12 lead after the first eight minutes.

Pierre closed to within a point during the second period but eventually trailed 32-27 at halftime.

The Lady Govs tied the game at 34-34 midway through the third and led by as many as four points – 40-36 – following a conventional three-point play by Emily Mikkelsen with 1:55 left in the frame.

Trailing 42-40 through three quarters, Brookings fell behind by five points, 47-42, after an Abigail Foster 3-pointer two minutes into the fourth.

But the Bobcats rallied to get within 48-47 on an old-fashioned three-point play by Ava Burns at the 4:32 mark.

That play was the start of an 18-0 run as Megan Gilk gave Brookings the lead for good at 49-48 with another hoop-and-harm three-point play after the free throw made it 50-48 with 3:59 remaining.

Johanna Miller scored five straight points – on an offensive rebound putback, where she was fouled and added the free throw; and then, two more free throws on the Bobcats’ next possession.

Peyton Evans scored in the paint following a Lady Gov turnover before Michaela Jewett scored down low after Gilk came up with an offensive rebound to push the advantage to 11 points at 59-48.

Jewett’s 3-pointer inside of a minute to play provided for the final margin as Brookings improved to 4-3 overall and in conference play with the win.

Jewett posted a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds to go along with three assists and three steals. Gilk added 12 points, seven boards and three dimes while Burns also dropped 12 points. Alli Gordon added nine points on three first-half 3-pointers as Miller chipped in with seven points, which included a 5-of-5 performance from the foul line.

Brookings finished 20-of-26 from the charity stripe and outrebounded the Lady Govs, 41-31.

Mikkelsen led Pierre with a game-high 19 points while Foster contributed 10. Mack Rath finished with seven points and 10 rebounds as the Lady Govs dropped to 2-8 on the season and 1-5 in the ESD.

On Thursday, Brookings travels to Sioux Falls to face Washington in its first non-conference game of the season. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.

BROOKINGS 62, PIERRE 48

Pierre (2-8, 1-5 ESD)

Mack Rath 2-5 3-6 7, Emily Mikkelsen 7-17 1-1 19, Abigail Foster 3-6 1-2 10, Kylie Kessler 1-4 0-0 2, Erika Stout 2-6 1-6 5, Hanna Jerome 0-0 0-0 0, Kodi Severyn 1-3 0-0 3, Kenzie Gronlund 0-0 0-0 0, Hannah Lingle 1-1 0-1 2. Totals 17-42 6-16 48.

Brookings (4-3, 4-3 ESD)

Grace Eggebrecht 0-1 0-0 0, Michaela Jewett 3-15 8-11 16, Megan Gilk 3-8 5-5 12, Carolyn Hieb 0-2 0-2 0, Ava Burns 5-12 2-2 12, Alli Gordon 3-6 0-0 9, Johanna Miller 1-4 5-5 7, Peyton Evans 3-4 0-1 6, Emma Hardin 0-1 0-0 0, Celia Dobrenski 0-0 0-0 0, Amanda Schulte 0-0 0-0 0, Megan Lippert 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-53 20-26 62.

Pierre 12  15  15  6  –  48

Brookings 20  12  8  22  –  62

3-point goals – P 8-19 (Mikkelsen 4-11, Foster 3-4, Stout 0-2, Severyn 1-2); B 6-13 (Jewett 2-5, Gilk 1-1, Hieb 0-1, Gordon 3-5, Hardin 0-1). Rebounds – P 31 (Rath 10); B 41 (Jewett 12). Assists – P 8 (Rath 2, Mikkelsen 2, Kessler 2); B 12 (Jewett 3, Gilk 3, Hieb 3). Steals – P 4 (Kessler 3); B 7 (Jewett 3). Blocks – B 4 (Jewett, Gilk, Miller, Evans). Turnovers – P 16; B 10. Total fouls – P 21; B 21. Fouled out – None.