It wasn’t the start to the season that the Britton-Hecla girls basketball team had hoped for, but despite a pair of losses Coach Terry Nelson sees potential for his charges.
The Lady Braves were ice cold at the charity stripe (12-36) and it proved costly in a narrow 48-44 loss to Tiospa Zina in their season opener on Friday. Northwestern pulled away from a 12-point halftime advantage to post a 48-25 win in the home opener on Monday with B-H still struggling at the line with a 6-24 effort.
This week the local cagers host Webster Area on Friday in a doubleheader with the boys’ squad (JV boys, girls 5 p.m., varsity girls, varsity boys to follow).
“In my years of playing in high school from 1972 to college to coaching all these years, we never shot 60 free throws in two games,” said Nelson. “That tells you a lot about these five-foot-eight girls. What if we hit on all cylinders? We just have to put it together and improve for the region. It’s in these girls. They have to believe.”
Tiospa Zina 48
Britton-Hecla 44
Britton-Hecla led by two points at halftime and trailed just 32-31 after three periods, but Tiospa Zina held on for the win.
Daynika Zuehlke led local scorers with 12 points, Koryn Jones added eight, and Chellon Pruitt and Paityn Erickson each netted seven. Tiana Tank led in the rebounding department with nine and Jones grabbed eight. Maddi Micko was credited with four assists and Pruitt had five steals.
The Lady Braves led 7-6 with two minutes remaining in the opening period but Northwestern went on a 15-1 run over the next eight minutes to forge their 12-point halftime advantage. The Wildcats padded that lead to 17 after three quarters to take charge.
Koryn Jones sunk a pair of treys and had 10 points to lead B-H and Daynika had a three-pointer with seven counters. Chellon Pruitt grabbed eight rebounds and had six steals and Karlie Zuehlke had seven boards.
FOR FULL STATS SEE THIS WEEK'S JOURNAL
