Evans gets 1,000th; Willmar decks Tech
WILLMAR -- It took Kelsey Evans 11 seconds to become the ninth Willmar girls basketball player to score 1,000-or-more points in a career Friday night.
Needing only one point to reach the mark, the senior sharpshooter buried a three-point shot from the left wing on the team's first possession of the game. She finished with 14 points and now has 1,013.
Willmar won its seventh straight game, thumping St. Cloud Tech 65-48 in a Central Lakes Conference game.
"It was nice that Kelsey was able to get it at home," said Willmar coach Brad Atchison. "And it was nice that she got it out of the way right away. We designed a set play for her and the girls ran it to perfection and she buried the three."
Willmar's defense was impressive in the first half, limiting the Tigers to only 12 points while the Cardinals put up 35.
"We played a basic person-to-person defense," Atchison remarked. "We had very good intensity defensively and we executed well on offense. We maybe let down a little in the second half after having a big lead, but otherwise we played well."
Hannah Smith had a strong game with 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Cardinals (13-1, 16-3), who remained in first place in the CLC.
Jena Thompson just missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. Mariel Aamot also had nine points. Alex Lippert added seven points and five blocks. Evans also chipped in three steals, three assists and four blocks.
Noelle Braun led Tech (5-8, 8-11) with 10 points.
Willmar hosts Marshall on Monday in a non-conference game.
Willmar 65, SC Tech 48
SC Tech (5-8, 8-11) 12 36 -- 48
Willmar (13-1, 16-3) 35 30 -- 65
ST. CLOUD TECH - 13-48 FG (3-12 3-pt); 13-24 FT; 33 rebounds; 17 fouls ... Scoring: Annessa Rosch 7, Megan Gray 3, Rachel Zweiner 3, Kelley Bjork 2, Bobbie Bohlig 7, Kristin Wurm 5, Hannah Zweiner 8, Katelyn Wendt 3, Noelle Braun 10 ... 3-point shots: Bohlig 1, H.Zweiner 2 ... Rebound leaders: Bohlig 9, Wurm 5 ... Assist leaders: Rousch 2, Gray 2, R.Zweiner 2 ... Steal leaders: Bohlig 2, Gray 2
WILLMAR - 23-50 FG (7-10 3-pt); 12-17 FT; 35 rebounds; 21 fouls ... Scoring: Kelsey Evans 14, Mariel Aamot 9, Hannah Smith 22, Alex Lippert 7, Kayli Gimse 4, Jena Thompson 9 ... 3-point shots: Evans 3, Aamot 1, Smith 3 ... Rebound leaders: Smith 11, Thompson 10 ... Assist leaders: Evans 3, Smith 3 ... Steal leaders: Evans 3 ... Blocks: Evans 4, Lippert 5
