STURGIS, S.D. — Despite a two-point third quarter, the Scooper girls held on to defeat the Yankton Gazelles, 38-29 on Saturday, Jan. 23 at West Gymnasium. The Yankton Bucks, the #2 team in Class AA boys basketball, sailed to a 64-15 win over the Scoopers.
The Scooper girls jumped out to a 13-10 lead after the first quarter, behind Reese Ludwick’s five points with good footwork and moves in the paint from her post position. Kaylee Whatley and Lexi Long both added four points in the first. Sturgis outscored Yankton 14-7 in the second quarter to take a 27-17 lead into the half. The Scoopers shot 44% from the field in the first half, working the ball inside for some high percentage shots.
But the Gazelles clamped down defensively on the inside game in the third quarter, forcing the Scoopers to shoot from the outside. Nothing would fall for Sturgis in the third as the Scoopers shot 0 for 16 from the field, and didn’t score until the final minute when Long hit two free throws. Yankton had trouble putting the ball in the hoop as well, outscoring Sturgis 7-2 in the third. The Scoopers held on to a 29-24 lead headed into the fourth.
Yankton fought back in the final stanza to cut the Scooper lead to four with just under two minutes to play, but a timely offensive rebound by Tatum Lightenberg resulted in an easy bucket for Ludwick to give Sturgis a 35-29 lead. The Gazelles were called with a technical foul in the final minute, after a Yankton player protested a call by the officials. Makayla Keffeler made the free throw and the Scoopers kept possession of the ball, effectively sealing the Sturgis win.
Whatley led the Scoopers with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Long added eight points and four boards. Sturgis shot 26% from the field and 77% from the charity stripe, canning seven of nine free throws. The Scoopers had 14 turnovers and 40 rebounds. The Gazelles were led by Kate Beeman with 11 points and five rebounds, with Jordynn Salvatori chipping in seven points. Yankton shot 20% from the field and 47% on free throws, with 23 rebounds and 13 turnovers. Sturgis improves to 5-6 on the season and Yankton falls to 1-9.
The Yankton Bucks came into West Gym with a 9-2 record, ranked as the #2 boys basketball team in Class AA and led by Wisconsin Badger commit, senior Matthew Mors. The Scoopers struck first on a nifty backdoor cut by Ridge Inhofer, who converted the layup and Sturgis led, 2-0. From that point, the Bucks poured it on behind eight points from Mors and seven from Aiden Feser and Yankton led Sturgis after one quarter, 22-2.
The Bucks outscored Sturgis 12-5 in the second and led 34-7 at the half. The Scoopers could only manage eight points in the second half as Yankton cruised to a 64-15 victory.
Sturgis (1-10), was led by Owen Cass with five points. The Scoopers shot 16% from the field and 66% from the free throw line, with 22 turnovers and 17 rebounds. Mors scored 13 for the Bucks (10-2), with Feser chipping in nine. Every Yankton player scored in the ball game. The Bucks shot 53% from the field and dropped in nine three-pointers, with 25 rebounds and nine turnovers.
The Scooper boys and girls are in action again on Tuesday as they travel to Hill City to take on the Rangers.
