Two scoring runs were all it took to take this one from a close contest to a blowout. Oak Grove got it started but after their quick 2-0 lead, Richland reeled off 14 straight points. The Grovers had opportunities to stop the bleeding but all their shots during that stretch were off the mark, sometimes dramatically. Before the half had run out though they had managed to chip away at the deficit, cutting it to four points. They kept it close into the third quarter but only briefly. The Colts poured in another 15 points to only two by the Grovers in the final 5 minutes of the third. So Richland lead by as many as 20 over the final eight minutes of play. Combine that with a noticeable zone defense that Oak Grove ran to end the game, and the Colts were clearly content to work every shot clock and close out the game. The Grovers managed to get the score closer to how the full four quarters played out but that shouldn't take away from the impressive attack of Richland.
The Grovers got 37 of their 42 points from Kelyn Johnson (20) & Morgan Niemiller (17). Those two totals top all players in the game which would have been all the better if their team could have kept it close. The more balanced attack won the night this time, lead by 16 from Megan Roob and 14 from Kaitlyn Wagner but with four other players finishing with at least 3 points while only 2 others scored for the Grovers. I didn't go in with any specific purpose and didn't know what to expect but the way the game played out still managed to surprise me.
But the best moment of the night came before the first tip. Before the starting lineups were announced and before the playing of the national anthem. The best moment came as recently injured Grover Amanda Roller returned to the gym. Last week she took a knee to the mid section that resulted in a liver laceration. One of the top scoring and rebounding players in Oak Grove's history, her inclusion may have made the difference in the game but just days later she was already back in Fargo & able to attend the game. So the results on the court were given a heavy dose of perspective, and that shouldn't be taken for granted!
Player of the Game
Megan Roob
Photo of the Game
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