GLIDING TO A BASKET — North Union guard Naomi Jones (left) dribbles past Garner-Hayfield/Ventura’s Aly Derr for a breakaway layup during Top of Iowa Conference basketball action Friday night in Armstrong. (Photo courtesy of Kim Meyer/Bancroft Register/Swea City Herald Press)

ARMSTRONG — After the Iowa Class 2A No. 14-ranked North Union girls basketball team’s fourth-quarter shutout Friday night, Warriors’ head coach Merle Tigges could be referred to as the ‘doctor of defense.’

Freshman guard Ainsley Ulrich poured in a game-best 17 points, including a game-high three 3-pointers, and fellow freshman Shallie Walders contributed nine points off the bench to power the Warriors to a 41-28 triumph over the Garner-Hayfield/Ventura Cardinals in Armstrong.

“We did not allow them (GHV) to score a point during the last 11 minutes of tonight’s game,” said Tigges, who forced the visiting Cardinals to make only 20 percent of their shots (11 of 55) on the night. “That’s the best defense we’ve played all year.”

Trailing 28-25 with 3 minutes remaining in the third 8-minute quarter, Naomi Jones and Ulrich worked a right-wing and baseline give-and-go play to perfection to trigger the Warriors’ 16-0 offensive surge that bridged the third and fourth quarters.

Jones, who grabbed a team-best nine rebounds and doled out three assists, tossed in a baseline runner off an Ulrich pass before Walders knocked down her only 3-pointer of the contest from the top of the key with 1:22 left in the third.

Twenty-seven seconds later, Ulrich spun home a reverse layup off an end-line drive to stake the hometown Warriors to a 32-28 lead heading into the fourth frame.

Ava Steinberger hit a solo free throw, Walders banked home a layup off a Jones assist before Ulrich chipped in a solo charity toss for a 36-28 margin.

Walders banked home a mid-lane runner before Libby Stevens capped North Union’s run with a putback basket and a solo free throw.

The Cardinals went 0-for-10 from the field during their scoreless fourth quarter.

“We knew going into the game that they (GHV) have four girls who can shoot the 3 well, so to only allow three 3s on the entire game is accomplishing our goal and then some,” said Tigges. “It also didn’t hurt to have a shot-blocking presence in the low blocks like (Olivia) Merrill tonight.”

Merrill scored just three points, but made a huge impact in the paint by blocking six GHV shots and altered three others to complement garnering six rebounds for the Warriors.

Stevens chipped in a team-best three steals to go with five points for North Union, while Jones produced six points and three assists to go with her nine rebounds.

Gretta Gouge topped all rebounders by pulling down a game-best 13 to go with seven points for the Cardinals.

Isabella Schisel and Kenedee Frayne led GHV by netting eight points apiece, while Jenna Pringnitz added five points, including only one 3-pointer. Pringnitz had connected on a team-best 33 shots behind the bonus line prior to Friday’s game.

North Union (15-5) plays host to Lake Mills on Tuesday night in Armstrong, while Garner-Hayfield/Ventura (8-11) travels to Forest City, Iowa, on Monday night.

GHV           5 11 12 0 — 28

NU             5 10 17 9 — 41

NORTH UNION (41)

Steinberger 0-0 1-2 1, Jones 3-8 0-0 6, Merrill 1-4 1-2 3, Stevens 2-4 1-2 5, Ulrich 6-11 2-5 17, Walders 4-7 0-0 9. Totals 16-34 5-11 41.

GHV (28)

Pringnitz 2-15 0-0 5, Derr 0-5 0-0 0, Hess 0-4 0-0 0, Frayne 3-8 0-0 8, Gouge 3-11 1-1 7, Schisel 3-12 2-2 8. Totals 11-55 3-3 28.

3-pointers: North Union 4-6 (Ulrich 3, Walders 1); Garner-Hayfield/Ventura 3-16 (Frayne 2, Pringnitz 1). Fouled out: None. Rebounds: GHV 33 (Gouge 13); North Union 23 (Jones 9). Assists: North Union 5 (Jones 3); GHV 4 (Derr 3). Steals: North Union 7 (Stevens 3); GHV 7 (Schisel 3). Blocked shots: North Union 8 (Merrill 6).

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Martin County West 60, Alden-Conger/Glenville Emmons 36 — Emily Anderson neared double-double territory to stampede the Mavericks to a 24-point Valley Conference victory over the Knights on Friday night in Sherburn.

Anderson finished with game-highs of 20 points and eight rebounds to complement doling out three assists and pocketing three steals for MCW.

Emily Schettler contributed 15 points and five rebounds to the Mavericks’ runaway triumph, while Maddie Carlson produced 12 points and five boards.

Ella Carlson tallied 10 points and grabbed five caroms for the Mavericks, who made 22 of 56 shots from 2-point range. MCW also hit 3 of 7 attempts from behind the 3-point arc and 7 of 9 at the free throw line.

Cearra Grunzke scored 18 points to top ACGE, while teammate Macy Mattson chipped in 16 points.

Martin County West (14-4) travels to Madelia on Monday night.

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Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther 82, Madelia 42 — Londyn Bowers topped a balanced offensive attack by scoring 15 points to help the Jaguars claw the Blackhawks by 40 during Valley Conference action Friday in Madelia.

Bowers also spearheaded the defense by pocketing four steals, while teammate Olivia Mattson contributed 10 points, nine rebounds and five assists to the purple-and-white’s winning effort.

Bethany Petrowiak netted 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds, McKenna Benck collected nine points, five steals and five assists, while Madisen Lewis chipped in nine points and four blocked shots for the Jaguars.

Katherine DeVlaeminck scored 18 points to top Madelia.

The Jaguars (15-4) travel to Nicollet on Monday night.

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Boys Basketball

North Union 67, Garner-Hayfield/Ventura 45 — The Iowa Class 1A No. 8-ranked Warriors coasted to a 22-point Top of Iowa Conference victory over the Cardinals on Friday night in Armstrong.

Dan Fothergill topped North Union’s balanced performance by tossing in 7 of 10 shots from 2-point range to fuel his game-best 20-point outing. Fothergill also pulled down seven boards and pocketed three steals.

Kyan Jones supplied 11 points, doled out a game-leading six assists and pulled down six rebounds for the Warriors, while Preston Guerdet made three 3-pointers to pace his 11-point performance.

Aiden Lofstrom contributed 11 points and four assists to North Union’s victorious effort, while Kody Irmiter grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds to go with eight points.

North Union (18-2) plays host to Lake Mills, Iowa, on Tuesday night in Armstrong.

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Waseca 76, Blue Earth Area 61 — The Bluejays erupted for 50 second-half points to erase a 35-26 halftime deficit during Big South Conference action Friday night in Blue Earth.

Laird Keeton nailed four of Waseca’s 11 trifectas on the night to pace his team-leading 20-point performance.

Zach Hulscher chipped in three 3s en route to 17 points and seven rebounds for the Bluejays, while Damarius Russell notched 14 points and distributed six assists.

Carson Ohnstad added 11 points on the strength of three 3s, Deron Russell dished out three assists, while Andrew Robran grabbed seven boards.

Will Bromeland scorched the nets for a game-best 28 points on the strength of a game-high six 3-pointers to produce half of his double-double for Blue Earth Area. Bromeland also pulled down 10 rebounds.

Gage Barker added 14 points for the Bucs (7-8), who play host to St. Clair on Monday night in a nonconference game.