Wolf Point Battles Against M’ettes
Wolf Point’s girls’ basketball squad took conference powerhouse Malta to the wire before losing by a 61-57 final at home on Saturday, Dec. 18.
Wolf Point coach Frank Benson was impressed with the Lady Wolves’ performance. Wolf Point is now 4-1 for the season.
“We’re for real,” Benson said after the game. “We’re not a bad team.”
The Wolves trailed by a 57-49 margin with four minutes remaining but started a comeback with a basket by Sierra Hamilton and a layup by Hamyanie Campbell off a long pass from Jaylee Azure.
Wolf Point battled back to 57-54 on a free throw by Campbell with 1:59 left. After Katelyn MacDonald forced a turnover, Azure hit a free throw for a 57-55 game with 49 seconds remaining.
Malta’s Kylee Nelson made a free throw, but Hamilton scored off a rebound to cut the margin to 58-57 with 21 seconds left. A free throw by Lauren Toss gave the M’ettes a 59-57 advantage. After the Wolves missed at the foul stripe, Malta put the game away on a basket off a rebound by Justine Lamb and then a rebound off a missed free-throw attempt.
Benson said the Wolves still have areas to improve on including rebounding.
Campbell and Kaylandra St. Marks led the Wolves with 13 points each. Josie Kolstad scored 12 and Hamilton added 11.
Also scoring were J’Elle Garfield and Azure with four points each.
Malta’s Addy Anderson scored 20 points and hit five three-pointers. Allison Kunze finished with 15 points.
The Wolves enjoyed an impressive first quarter as they took a 14-8 lead on a three-pointer by Kolstad and a free throw by Campbell.
St. Marks came off the bench to hit two three-pointers for a 20-12 advantage.
“She is really coming on for us,” Benson said of St. Marks. “She’s a game changer.”
The Wolves led 23-16 at the end of the first quarter.
After Malta moved ahead 33-29 in the second period, Wolf Point struck for seven straight points on two free throws by Campbell, a drive by Garfield and a three-pointer by Kolstad.
Wolf Point led 36-34 at the half, but Malta scored the first seven points of the third quarter. Malta held a 52-45 lead at the end of the third quarter.
