Ouch! That hurt.
Hillsboro lost a three-year starter for the season and a game to Dakota Prairie this week.
The Burros sandwiched a solid win over MayPort-CG between the two losses.
Playing one of their better games of the season in beating Griggs County last Thursday, a game they lost junior Joelle Evenson to a torn ACL, the Burros beat MayPort-CG Saturday behind Ashley Doeden’s 24 points before being upset by Thompson Tuesday night.
The 12-3 Burros still trail the Dakota Prairie Knights in the District 3 race.
Hillsboro played at McVille-Dakota Prairie last night.
Still undefeated in the Events Center, the Burros close out their home schedule this week with games against Central Valley (tonight) and Larimore next Thursday. Hillsboro’s last regular season game is at Kindred Feb. 5.
Coach Kyle Morehart still believes his Burros have a shot at claiming the District 3 title.
He’ll need help.
The Burros will need to win their remaining games and hope the Knights stumble.
Much is at stake, Morehart knows.
If the girls falter, Hillsboro could easily find themselves in fourth place at the start of the post season.
“It won’t be an easy task, winning the district,” Morehart said.
“I expect the girls will be ready to play after the disappointing loss at Thompson.”
Hillsboro wasn’t expected to lose to the Tommies, a team they beat 55-43 earlier in the season without the Evenson twins.
Playing without Joelle Evenson Monday, Hillsboro was beaten 60-51 at Thompson.
The girls were perhaps looking past the Tommies, Morehart speculates.
“It was a mistake. We will learn from it. It was a big disappointment.”
Giving up 60 points was new to the Burros, who had their 9-game winning streak stopped at Thompson Monday.
“We’re really struggling defensively right now,” acknowledged Morehart.
The Burros were holding the opposition to an average 43 points a game before this week. Usually stingy, the Burros allowed the MPCG Patriots 54 and Thompson 60 points.
The Burro coach is admittedly displeased with his team’s effort on the defensive end of the court.
“We will struggle shooting the ball on any given night, but the defense should always be there.”
The coach also knows this team is adjusting to a different lineup without Joelle Evenson at the guard spot. The loss of the veteran player means more minutes for an already-thin bench.
The adjustment will take a little time, hinted Morehart.
The Burros trailed at each of the quarter stops at Thompson. The Tommies led 16-12 after the first quarter and 35-27 at the half. The score was Thompson 45, Hillsboro 37 entering the final 8 minutes of play. Maggie Evenson scored 18 points for the Burros. Katrina Meyer added 11 points. Three Tommies were in double figures, led by Brittany Reineke’s 14.
The Burros beat Griggs County Central by 21 points last Thursday (Jan. 17) at the Events Center.
Hillsboro scored 30 third quarter points in the 69-48 rout. Meyer and Tessa Svaleson were hitting from the outside, Maggie Evenson, Ashley Doeden and Brittany Wilson were scoring in the paint.
Evenson led all scorers with 21 points. Doeden added 19 and Meyer had 17. Wilson chipped in 9 points and Svaleson 7.
Leading 28-27 at the half, the Burros bolted to a 58-36 lead entering the final quarter. But it was the third quarter when the Burros were unstoppable.
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