Jacket Girls take Royals in 2 OT

Jacket Girls take Royals in 2 OT

Brynn Liljander led the Bluejacket girls basketball team to a 76-65 payback win over Rogers at home Feb. 8 by scoring 38, including sinking all 11 C-I points in the second overtime period. Liljander’s field goal tied the game at 60-60 late in regulation, then Amanda Hanson stepped into the passing lane for a steal to keep the Royals from getting off a shot.

“Brynn is just a fierce competitor. She had missed the final shot at the end of regulation and the final shot of the first overtime and came to the huddle mad at herself, but it didn’t phase her,” described C-I Coach Jody Ledahl. “She came out and hit a ‘3’ to put us up and did a great job finishing Rogers off by hitting 8-of-8 free throws. We executed well down the stretch keeping the ball in her hands.”

Justine Larson scored 18 and Hanson 16 in the victory over Rogers. Larson grabbed a key rebound off a missed Rogers’ free throw at the end of the first overtime.

Coach Ledahl added, “Our kids are playing at a totally different level right now then when we first played Rogers. We didn’t compete on the defensive end and didn’t shoot the ball well offensively the first game. We’ve played our last four games with a lot of confidence– the kids are starting to feel comfortable in their roles, and it’s a great time of the season for everything to start falling in to place.”

• On Feb. 11, the Jackets kept rolling with a 69-41 win over section-partner St. Francis. Lily Porta led this time with 20 points, sinking 8-of-10 shots from the field. Paige Muehlhauser doubled up with 13 points and 10 rebounds, with Liljander and Larson adding 12 points each.

After hosting Buffalo Feb. 14, the Bluejackets get another section preview game when they host Duluth East in a Feb. 16 matinee.

Mississippi 8 Girls Basketball

St. Michael-Alb. 7-0, 19-3; Monticello 5-2, 19-4; Cambridge-Isanti 4-3, 14-7; Rogers 4-3, 14-9; Big Lake 1-6, 7-15; Buffalo 0-7, 8-13.