Stories from Tuesday, January 7, 2014

In its first action following the holiday break, the Spirit Lake boys basketball team displayed a relentless effort in erasing a second half deficit to defeat visiting Spencer in a Lakes Conference tilt Saturday. Down 30-22 at the half, the Indians slowly climbed back into the contest before salting away the victory in the final stanza, 59-48...

Down 43-33 entering the fourth quarter against Spencer Saturday, the Spirit Lake girls basketball team put on a dazzling display of defense, forcing turnover after turnover in a 22-7 run over the final eight minutes to win 53-50. Facing a Spencer squad that was at full strength for the first time all season, the Indians matched the Tigers point-for-point in the opening stanza as the teams remained knotted at nine-all after one quarter of play...

Scoring from inside and out, the Harris-Lake Park girls basketball team displayed balance that proved impossible to defend in a 52-25 road victory over Cornbelt Conference foe Clay Central-Everly on Friday. Noreen Morrow did the Wolves' dirty work down low with 11 points and 13 boards, while sharpshooter Miranda Brueggeman picked the Mavericks' defense apart from deep with a game-high 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting and 5-of-8 from beyond the arc...

A stifling defense translated to easy scoring opportunities for the Harris-Lake Park boys basketball team Friday evening, as the Wolves outpaced host Clay Central-Everly 70-26 in a Cornbelt Conference clash. The Wolves recorded a season-high 16 steals on the night and had three players in double-digit scoring...

Finally, the Okoboji boys basketball team was able to get the proverbial monkey off its collective back on Tuesday evening, as the Pioneers defeated Sibley-Ocheyedan 70-63 at home for their first win of the season. Okoboji led from start to finish, taking a 16-10 lead after one quarter of play and holding on for a 33-28 advantage at the half following a buzzer-beating tip in by Tyeson Barnett on a missed three-pointer by Holt Hunziker...

A dominant third quarter lifted the Spirit Lake boys basketball team past Lakes Conference foe Emmetsburg on Tuesday night, as the Indians earned a decisive 73-36 road victory. Just two points separated the two teams after one quarter of play, as Spirit Lake led 17-15 before pulling ahead in the second quarter to lead 34-23 at the half...

The Spirit Lake girls basketball team jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in a 56-35 defeat of Emmetsburg on the road in Lakes Conference action Tuesday night. The Indians led 14-5 after one quarter of play and stretched that lead to 25-12 at the half...

While it wasn't pretty, the Okoboji girls basketball team earned a gutsy home victory over Sibley-Ocheyedan on Tuesday night, besting the Generals 41-30. Neither team could seemingly buy a bucket in the early going, as the Pioneers trailed 8-6 after one quarter of play and 16-13 at the half...

Buckets were few and far between for the Okoboji girls basketball team Friday evening, as the Pioneers fell to MOC-Floyd Valley 62-27 on the road. Okoboji trailed just 14-8 after one quarter of play, but was outscored 21-3 in the second stanza to trail 35-11 at the half...

After hanging with MOC-Floyd Valley for two quarters, the Okoboji boys basketball team simply ran out of firepower in a third quarter that saw the Dutchmen hang 26 on the Pioneers in a 79-54 rout. "I was pleased with our defensive effort for the first 20 minutes," Okoboji coach Ryan Paulsen said. "We played as hard as we have played all year, but we got tired and weren't able to handle their run in the third quarter."...

A stingy defensive effort in the opening quarter proved to be the difference in a one-point victory for the Harris-Lake Park girls basketball team over George-Little Rock on Thursday evening. The Wolves' allowed just two Mustang points in the first quarter of play while posting eight of their own in a 39-38 win to begin the second half of the basketball season...

Trailing 14-8 after one quarter of play to George-Little Rock Thursday evening, the Harris-Lake Park boys basketball team slowly chipped away at the Mustangs' lead, but an outstanding fourth quarter effort by G-LR put the game away for good, as the Wolves fell 59-43...