BETWEEN DEFENDERS — Fairmont’s Cadee Becker finds a seam between Pipestone Area defenders Kyla Hubbling (12) and Kayla Hubbling (10) and elevates for a jumpshot during Big South Conference basketball action Thursday night at Cardinal Gym in Fairmont. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — Fairmont’s baseline-to-baseline defensive swarm produced a game-opening 15-0 offensive avalanche that snowed under Pipestone Area during Thursday night’s Big South Conference basketball clash at Cardinal Gym.

Post player Cadee Becker amassed a game-best 21 points and a team-high seven boards, while Maggy Totzke drained five 3-pointers to trigger a 17-point performance to power the hometown Cardinals to a 75-44 victory over the Arrows.

“Our press really helped us put some quick points on the scoreboard early,” said Fairmont head coach Sara Junkermeier, whose lineup forced 24 Pipestone Area turnovers in the initial 18 minutes.

Totzke buried a trifecta off one of Rayah Quiring’s game-leading five assists before Becker banked home a runner off another Quiring entry pass for a 5-0 lead, but the Cardinals were just getting warmed up.

Quiring pocketed one of her game-best seven steals and fed Emma Gudahl for a baseline leaner before a Totzke steal led to Brittney Mosloski’s two free throws.

Gudahl pick-pocketed one of her four steals and drove the lane for the layup before Quiring’s skip pass found Totzke for a left-corner 3-pointer. Gudahl added a solo free throw for a 15-0 lead before Aubrea Kor ended Pipestone Area’s scoring drought with a runner in the paint at the 12:40 juncture.

After Jadyn Kor buried a right-corner 3 and a pair of free throws to close the Arrows’ deficit to 18-7, Totzke served as the catalyst behind Fairmont’s ensuing 14-0 run.

Totzke swooshed a trey, Quiring hit a putback basket, Ava Terfehr nailed a trifecta and Becker single-handedly reeled off six unanswered point to extend the Cardinals’ margin to 32-7.

Totzke put an exclamation on the first half by taking Olivia Ortega’s pass and nailing a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to help Fairmont carry a 40-15 lead into the lockerroom at intermission.

“You could say we were inside-outside during the first half, and the opposite in the second half,” said Junkermeier, who roster featured 13 different players reaching the scoring column. “It was a tale of two halves.”

Becker then worked the paint in the low post for four consecutive baskets without a miss to help highlight the Cardinals’ point production to open the second half.

Marli Taubert, who was scoreless on only one field goal attempt in the first half, poured in five of her team-best 14 points to trigger the Arrows’ 14-2 surge midway through the second 18-minute segment.

Totzke, however, halted Pipestone Area’s momentum by nailing a 3-pointer before finding Mosloski and Becker in the low blocks to re-establish a 25-plus point lead for the duration.

Jadyn Kor netted 12 points for the Arrows, Aubrea Kor chipped in 11 points, while Kayla Hubbling scored five points, grabbed a game-best eight rebounds and made three steals.

Fairmont (16-2) travels to St. James tonight for Game 2 of a varsity doubleheader against the Saints, tipping off at 7:30 p.m.

Pipestone Area (5-11) plays host to Worthington at 8:01 p.m. Tuesday night in another conference game.

Pipestone 15-29–44

Fairmont 40-35–75

FAIRMONT (75)

Becker 7-9 7-7 21, Quiring 1-6 0-2 2, Mosloski 2-5 3-5 7, Gudahl 2-8 1-2 5, Totzke 6-13 0-0 17, Schultz 1-3 0-0 2, K. Busche 0-1 0-0 0, Terfehr 2-6 0-0 6, Geerdes 2-3 0-1 5, O. Ortega 0-0 1-2 1, Cihoski 1-1 0-0 2, Janssen 1-1 0-0 2, Rahm 2-2 0-0 4, Miller 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 27-60 13-21 75.

PIPESTONE (44)

Taubert 4-8 4-6 14, A. Kor 4-8 3-6 11, Kayla Hubbling 2-5 1-2 5, Kyla Hubbling 1-4 0-0 2, J. Kor 4-12 2-2 12, Wiese 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 15-38 10-16 44.

3-pointers: Fairmont 8-25 (Totzke 5-9, Terfehr 2-6, Geerdes 1-1, Quiring 0-4, Gudahl 0-3, K. Busche 0-1, Miller 0-1); Pipestone Area 4-12 (Taubert 2-3, J. Kor 2-7, Kayla Hubbling 0-1, Wiese 0-1). Rebounds: Fairmont 33 (Becker 7); Pipestone 26 (Kayla Hubbling 8, Taubert 7). Assists: Fairmont 16 (Quiring 5, Totzke 3); Pipestone 3. Steals: Fairmont 21 (Quiring 7, Gudahl and Totzke 4 each); Pipestone 7 (Kayla Hubbling 3).

Brylee Miller produced 10 points and grabbed six rebounds to guide Fairmont to a 46-24 victory over Pipestone Area during B-squad action Thursday night at Cardinal Gym.

Nevaeh Rahm scored eight points, Ava Terfehr netted seven points, Tiffany Lowry garnered six boards, while Abi Peyman distributed three assists for the Cardinals (16-1).