Stuffed: Struggles for Titans in first round 59-15 loss to LaMoure/L-M

Seeding and records can go out the window when the postseason light switch flips on for the La-Moure/Litchville-Marion Loboes.

The pack came back with a vengeance from their fourth seed slot, showing that there is quite a gulf between the top and bottom halves of District 5 in competition level.

A 59-15 runaway victory for the eventual district champion Loboes over the fifth-seeded G-M Titans at the Jamestown Civic Center Friday, February 11, put the rest of the field on notice.

Just getting the ball close enough to the hoop for shots in the first half was a chore for the Titans, as the Loboes' swarming defenders forced 27 turnovers for the game and held G-M to a mere 11 attempts from the field over the first two periods.

Meanwhile, L-L-M senior guard Molly Musland was throwing darts from beyond the arc, hitting on five threes for all 15 of her first-half points as the Lobo advantage turned into an insurmountable 34-6 at the break. She would finish with 21 points.

L-L-M eighth grader Norah DelaBarre played a quality game for the Loboes with eight points, followed by seven from Tessa Rasmusson.

Griggs/Midkota's difficulty scoring continued into the third quarter, where they were shut out for the duration of the stanza.

In fact, until the fourth, only two players for the Titans even scored, both with the surname Larson (Jenna with 10, Olivia with two.) Emma Kollman had one of the Titans' seven field goals, and Josie Johnson's free-throw accounted for one more point.

Kollman led the Titans with five rebounds, and Jenna Larson forced three steals in defeat.

The loss for the Titans put them in a Region 3 qualifier last Monday against Carrington (see related article), as the seven-team District 5 format gave the opening round #4/#5 game loser a bye since there is no eighth team.

District 5 Girls' Basketball

Tournament, Jamestown

First Round

LaMoure/Litchville-Marion 59,

Griggs/Midkota 15

G-M 4 2 0 9 15

L-L-M 25 9 15 10 59

Griggs/Midkota: Jenna Larson 10, Emma Kollman 2, Olivia Larson 2, Josie Johnson 1. Totals: 7-29 FG, 1-4 FT, 9 fouls. Three-pointers: None.

LaMoure/L-M: Molly Musland 21, Norah DelaBarre 8, Tessa Rasmusson 7, Mollie Robbins 5, Abby Haberman 4, Savanna Steffes 4, Ivy Jacobson 3, Josie Lange 3, Balie Kelley 2, Rose Wendel 2. Totals: 24-57 FG, 2-5 FT, 12 fouls. Three-pointers: Musland 5, Rasmusson, Robbins, Jacobson, Lange.

Griggs/Midkota Additional Stats

Rebounds: Kollman 5, J. Larson and Amanda Reidman 3, J. Johnson and Kaylee Johnson 2, Asia Becherl and O. Larson 1.

Assists: Medora Brandner, Brianna Ehlers, Kollman and J. Larson 1.

Steals: J. Larson 3, J. Johnson, K. Johnson and Reidman 1.

Blocks: Becherl 1.