Detroit Lakes scored the first six points of the second half to tie Sartell-St. Stephen but the Sabres kept the Lakers at bay in an important 61-56 Section 8AAA girls basketball victory at Ralph Anderson Gymnasium Saturday, Feb. 1.
Alex Bettcher tied the score at 29-29 to complete DL’s 6-0 run out of the halftime break but a pair of Gretta Mahowald free throws moments later gave the Sabres the lead for good.
The visitor’s pushed their advantage to nine points multiple times only to have the Lakers claw back to within striking distance.
The Sabres had too many answers.
Sophie Gunderson scored in the paint to pull DL within four points trailing 39-35.
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Mahowald answered to push the lead back to six.
A Bettcher bucket and one closed the gap to 46-41 at the seven-minute mark but Mahowald responded again with an ‘and-one’ of her own to erase DL’s progress.
Bettcher and Mahowald were dominant scorers for their teams. Bettcher led DL with 26 points; Mahowald was a bucket better with a game-high 28 points.
Maddy Bowers and Bettcher made front ends of free throw opportunities to create a one-possession game down 49-46 with six minutes to play.
Mahowald and Sarah Tangen traded two points for a 51-48 Sabres lead at the five-minute mark.
Up by six points with two minutes to play, the Sartell-St. Stephen defense created chances to close out the game. Mahowald and Avery Templin made big steals to negate DL scoring opportunities.
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Tangen drained a needed three-point basket with a minute to go to pull DL within four down 58-54. Bettcher got to the line for two free throws to give the Lakers a chance at 59-56 10 seconds later but the Sabres would not allow another DL point.
Gunderson joined Bettcher in double figures with 13 points for the Lakers.
The victory will give third place Sartell-St. Stephen (8-11) some breathing room in front of the fourth place Lakers (8-11) down the stretch.
The Sabres have won five of six games against section opponents. DL is 1-4 in five 8AAA games.
DL (5-1) resumes Mid-State Conference play hosting Aitkin (1-16, 0-6) Tuesday, Feb. 4.
Sartell-St. Stephen 61, Detroit Lakes 56
SS 29 32 - 61
DL 23 33 - 56
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SS - Gretta Mahowald 28, Avery Templin 8, Libby Crandall 7, Adyn Larson 6, Megan Driste 5, Elle Mahowald 3, Emily Crandall 2.
DL - Alex Bettcher 26, Sophie Gunderson 13, Sarah Tangen 7, Kylee Price 5, Maddy Bowers 3, Abby Larson 2.
