Ulrich, Walders trigger No. 14 Warriors’ basketball win
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ARMSTRONG -- Ninth-grade sharpshooters Ainsley Ulrich and Shallie Walders combined for 25 points to engineer the Iowa Class 2A No. 14-ranked North Union Warriors' 38-28 triumph over the Lake Mills Bulldogs during their regular-season basketball finale Tuesday night.
Ulrich connected on 4 of 6 field goals to account for half of the Warriors' 16 first-half points to cling to an eight-point lead over the Bulldogs by intermission during the defensive-themed Top of Iowa Conference clash in Armstrong. Ulrich finished with a game-leading 13 points.
Walders, who came off the North Union bench to generate a dozen points, nailed three trifectas to account for nine of the home team's 22 second-half points to finally pull away from the Bulldogs on the scoreboard.
"It wasn't pretty, but we'll take the win," said Warriors' assistant coach Joel Klocke, whose lineup collared the Bulldogs into shooting just 25 percent from the floor on a 9-for-35 performance.
Clinging to an 18-17 lead on the heels of Lake Mills guard Cora Sauer's second of three 3-pointers, Walders countered with a trey for North Union at the 1:30 juncture of the third quarter.
Taylor Vanek knocked down her only trey of the contest to inch the Bulldogs within 21-20 only to watch as Ulrich answered with a right-wing 3 off a Walders assist.
Sauer and the Warriors' Libby Stevens traded 3s to open the fourth frame before Olivia Merrill's offensive board and putback basket later extended the green-and-black attack's edge to 30-23.
Naomi Jones sank two free throws with a minute remaining in regulation before Walders launched a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to cap the Warriors' winning ways.
Stevens scored eight for the Warriors, Merrill topped all players with 11 boards and six blocks, while Jones chipped in seven rebounds and a game-high four steals.
Sauer produced 11 points and seven rebounds to top Lake Mills (11-10), while Vanek chipped in five points and six boards.
North Union (16-5) tips off the Iowa Class 2A, Region 5 playoffs by playing host to either Belmond-Klemme or South Central Calhoun at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13, in Armstrong.
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Tri-City United 64, Blue Earth Area 34 -- The Titans bested the Bucs during hoops action Tuesday night in Blue Earth.
Katherine Armon produced 17 points and grabbed six rebounds to pace Blue Earth Area, while Lola Lundquist supplied 13 points, five boards and four assists.
Ruby Allis chipped in four points for the Bucs, who travel to New Ulm on Friday night for a Big South Conference game.
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Boys Basketball
Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther 60, Madelia 59 -- Bryce Borkenhagen drilled a game-winning long-distance buzzer-beater to lift the Jaguars to a one-point Valley Conference win over the Blackhawks on Tuesday night.
Carter Fox netted a double-double of 16 points and 15 rebounds to top the Jaguars, while Eli Jensen tallied 11 points.
Jackson Madsen delivered 10 points and eight boards, Carson Hastad scored nine, while Borkenhagen finished with eight points and six boards.
The Jaguars (8-12) play host to Mankato Loyola on Friday night in Truman.