WILLMAR -- Shantel Kelly and Kayli Gimse combined for 28 points as Willmar sprinted by Brainerd 49-35 on Tuesday in Central Lakes Conference girls basketball.
It was the second straight win for the Cardinals (2-1, 2-2), who opened the season with two losses.
The key for Willmar was its suffocating defense, which ignited a 13-0 run in the second half after the Warriors had closed to within a point of the lead, 24-23 early in the second half.
"Sara (Kallhoff) did a great job on their point guard, Kayla Kraemer," said Willmar coach Brad Atchison about his guard. "It was our best defensive effort by far."
In a game of several runs by each team, the Cardinals bolted to a 20-4 lead, but that was followed by eight minutes of cold shooting which allowed Brainerd to catch up. The Warriors trailed just 24-19 at halftime.
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Kelly finished with 15 points, five rebounds and five steals. Gimse had 13 points. Kallhoff posted six points and dished out six assists. Nine players scored at least two points for Willmar.
Brainerd shot just 24 percent (12-for-50) from the field. The Warriors got 13 points from Kayla Kraemer and eight rebounds and seven points from Jalynn Lamb.
Willmar 49, Brainerd 35
Brainerd (1-3, 1-3) 19 16 -- 35
Willmar (2-1, 2-2) 24 25 -- 49
BRAINERD - 12-50 FG (0-1 3-pt); 11-15 FT; 34 rebounds; 11 fouls ... Scoring: Kayla Kraemer 13, Carlie Sweet 4, Ally Mueller 6, Ashley Tibbetts 1, Jalynn Lamb 7, Gretchen Kletscher 4 ... 3-point shots: none ... Rebound leaders: Kletscher 7, Lamb 8 ... Assist leaders: none ... Steal leaders: none
WILLMAR - 20-50 FG (4-13 3-pt); 5-8 FT; 22 rebounds; 17 fouls ... Scoring: Lucinda Sweazey 2, Addy Nelsen 2, Shantel Kelly 15, Sara Kallhoff 6, Carrie Boike 2, Megan Skalla 3, Kayli Gimse 13, Laura Swartz 4, Anne Dunham 2 ... 3-point shots: Kelly 1, Kallhoff 2, Gimse 1 ... Rebound leaders: Kelly 5, Swartz 3, Boike 3, Gimse 3 ... Assist leaders: Kallhoff 6, Boike 3 ... Steal leaders: Kelly 5, Gimse 3, Boike 3
