In a battle of top five teams in girls Class A basketball, the #3 ranked Lennox Orioles defeated the #4 ranked Dell Rapids Quarriers 53-47 on Monday, January 8th, at Dell Rapids High School.
After a game-opening three-point basket by Madysen Vlastuin, the Quarriers went on a 7-0 run to take a 7-3 lead with 3:33 to go in the first quarter. Lennox answered with an 11-2 run to close out the quarter. The Orioles led 14-9 after the first quarter. Dell Rapids tied the game at 17-17 after a Tiffanie Dorale basket with 5:32 to go in the second quarter. The two teams went back and forth trading baskets and were tied 23-23 with :30 to go. Ravyn Hoffman made a three-point basket with about :25 remaining to give Dell Rapids a 26-23 lead, however, Megan Hinker tied the game at the buzzer to tie the game at 26-26 at halftime.
Lennox took an early second half lead of 33-29 with 4:30 remaining in the third quarter. Dell Rapids responded with an 11-2 run topped off by a Sydney Stofferahn layup with under a minute to play in the third quarter to take a 40-35 lead. Rianna Fillipi made a three-point shot for Lennox for the final score of the third quarter, and Dell Rapids led 40-38 heading into the final quarter. The teams again traded baskets to begin the fourth quarter. The Quarriers took their final lead of the game at 42-41 with just under 6:00 to go. Lennox went on a 5-0 run to take a 46-42 lead with 4:00 to go in the game. The Quarriers pulled within two points at 49-47 with :38 to go after a steal and layup by Arial Hoffman, but Vlastuin made four free-throws down the stretch to seal the victory for Lennox.
Jayda Knuppe led Dell Rapids with 12 points in the game. A. Hoffman finished with nine points. R. Hoffman had eight points. Aspen Hansen had six points, and Tiffanie Dorale, Emma Paul, and Sydney Stofferahn all finished with four points each.
Dell Rapids (7-2) will play the Tripp-Delmont/Armour Nighthawks at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, January 13th at the Hanson Classic in Mitchell.