ABERDEEN – Aberdeen Central has a roster full of aggressiveness. Tuesday, the Golden Eagles unleashed it.
Second-rated Central attacked offensively and was active defensively, and Brookings couldn’t solve either piece of the puzzle, as the Golden Eagles rolled to a 56-26 Eastern South Dakota Conference victory over the Bobcats Tuesday night at Golden Eagles Arena.
“That’s been a point of emphasis for us,” said Central coach Dawn Seiler. “We have not attacked the basket the way we need to attack the basket to be successful. We went out (to Rapid City last weekend) and I just call it playing catch on the perimeter. That’s all we did. Those days are over. We’re not going to play catch on the perimeter anymore. We have to be in attack mode.”
That emphasis paid it’s dividends quickly, as the Golden Eagles got point contributions from five different players in the opening stanza, getting the guards involved early. Haylee Mork hit for two, Laura Babcock was fouled on a drive and Emma Yeske scored on a driving layup at the end of the quarter to put Brookings in an early hole.
That opened things up underneath for South Dakota State commit Paiton Burckhard, who had a game-best 29 points.
Brookings countered in the second quarter with a trio of 3-pointers, but finished the game just 4-for-26 from long range.
“Their zone was active,” said Brookings coach Lynn Frederick. “We didn’t get much inside. We shot 26 3s, only made four. I think the huge difference was our inability to make some shots and get some confidence. I think when you make shots, it helps you at the other end of the floor.”
In addition to Burckhard’s 29 points and nine rebounds, Central got seven points, four assists and no turnovers from Babcock. Mork finished with six points, four rebounds and a pair of assists.
“We didn’t really have an answer for Paiton tonight,” Frederick said. “We tried a few different things, but she was effective. The other girls, their supporting cast, played aggressive, too. They did a good job of taking the ball to the basket.”
Ava Burns led the Bobcats with six points, hitting a three in each half. Megan Gilk had five points, and Grace Eggebrecht and Michaela Jewett had four each.
“We’ve been sitting back and just letting the game come to us, seeing what a team is going to bring to us,” Seiler said. That’s not the mindset this group can play with.”
Central will have a week off before heading to Harrisburg Jan. 16. The No. 3 Tigers escaped a 47-43 challenge from Mitchell.
Brookings, which has played three ranked teams in its last four games, heads home to face Pierre on Saturday at 7 p.m.
ABERDEEN CENTRAL 56, BROOKINGS 26
Brookings (3-3, 3-3 ESD)
Megan Gilk 1 2-2 5, Carolyn Hieb 1 0-0 3, Grace Eggebrecht 2 0-3 4, Ava Burns 2 0-0 6, Michaela Jewett 2 0-0 4, Alli Gordon 1 0-0 2, Peyton Evans 1 0-0 2. Totals 10-45 2-5 26.
Aberdeen Central (8-1, 5-0 ESD)
Laura Babcock 2 2-2 7, Emma Yeske 2 0-2 4, Haylee Mork 2 1-2 6, Paiton Burckhard 12 5-8 29, Abby Kopecky 1 2-2 4, Claire Angerhofer 1 0-0 2, Brooklyn Kusler 0 1-2 1, Ana Hase 0 1-2 1, Cassidy Gough 1 0-0 2. Totals 21-44 12-20 56.
Brookings 6 9 6 5 – 26
Aberdeen Central 19 10 10 17 – 56
3-point goals – B 4 (Gilk, Hieb, Burns 2); AC 2 (Babcock, Mork). Total fouls – B 16; AC 12. Fouled out – None. Rebounds – B 27 (Johanna Miller 7); AC 37 (Burckhard 9, Gough 7). Assists – B 7 (Gilk 2, Emma Hardin 2); AC 11 (Babcock 4). Turnovers – B 16; AC 10. Steals – B 4 (Gilk 2); AC 7 (Babcock 3). Blocks – B 4 (Jewett 3); AC 2 (Burckhard 2).
