Panthers ends season with region third-place win

Sue Sitter/PCT Rugby’s Anna Johnson fights against a steal attempt by Madison Lauf of Des Lacs-Burlington in the third-place round of the North Dakota Class B Region 6 Girls Basketball Tournament in Minot.
Rugby Panthers wrapped up their season with a third-place win and two all-region team members on Feb. 24 at the North Dakota Class B Region 6 Girls Basketball Tournament, held at the Minot Auditorium.
Panthers guard Anna Johnson and forward Mykell Heidlebaugh received placement on the 2022 All-Region 6 Team.
The Panthers landed in the third-place round after the Bishop Ryan Lions clawed their way to a 46-36 victory to upset Rugby, the home team, in the game.
After a one-day break, the Panthers returned to the court in Minot, showing a relaxed mood as they practiced before the game. Their calm demeanor belied their readiness for battle.
The Des-Lacs Burlington Lakers brought a fight to the Panthers. They had reached the third-place round after a narrow 45-46 defeat to the Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood Mavericks. The Mavericks would later defeat Bishop Ryan to win the regional title, their first since 2005.
The Lakers jumped ahead from the start, leading by four points before Rugby’s Kendyl Hager landed the first Panthers bucket. The Panthers stayed close behind the Lakers, ready to strike. A three-pointer landed by Johnson followed a bucket shot by Rugby’s Janikka Miller and the first two of 17 game points from Heidlebaugh, who would lead Panthers’ scorers with 17.
The first quarter ended with a 9-13 Panthers deficit. Rugby started the second quarter with a three-pointer landed by Heidlebaugh. Joran Jundt put the Panthers in the lead with a bucket before DLB’s Logan Ystaas answered, putting the Lakers ahead again by one point.
Coach Jennifer Brossart put more Panthers in the rotation from the bench and saw positive results. Freshman Lacie Deplazes landed a bucket after Heidlebaugh made a shot from the free-throw line after a foul by Madison Lauf. The Lakers kept the pressure on, led by freshman Ava Brown and Ystaas. The half ended with a 23-21 Lakers lead. Rugby had outscored the Lakers for the quarter 12-10.
Heidlebaugh tied the score at 23 apiece early in the third quarter. Two buckets from Lakers followed before Ystaas fouled Jundt, who would land three free-throw shots. After Lauf and Rugby’s Peyton Hauck traded shots, Jundt landed a three-pointer to give the Panthers a 31-30 lead.
Both teams traded narrow leads before the quarter ended with the Panthers ahead 34-33, with Rugby again outscoring the Lakers 12-11.
The Panthers widened their lead briefly to five points in the fourth quarter before Lakers Coach Tracy Bonn called a timeout as the last minutes of the game ticked away. The Lakers caught up after fouls from the Panthers. Two free-throw shots from Brown sent the game into overtime with a 45-45 tie.
Players on both teams showed battle scars. Some limped temporarily after struggles for the ball sent them crashing to the floor. Players brushed their hair from their faces and drank from water bottles as they listened to their coaches.
Both teams began the fifth period with fouls before Jundt broke the tie with a bucket. Brown fouled Hager, then DLB’s Kaylee Werner tied the score at 47 each for the Lakers. The Panthers pulled ahead again with another bucket from Jundt with 17 seconds left on the clock. Lakers Brown and Ystaas fouled Heidlebaugh within seconds of each other. Heidlebaugh landed two shots from the free-throw line with 3.2 seconds to go. The Panthers held their four-point lead, taking third place in the tournament with a 51-47 win.
Brossart said she was “proud of the way the Panthers came back. This is post-season basketball. We knew they were going to be tough. We played well tonight. We had players coming off the bench and putting up the shots.”
Brossart also praised the Panthers starters, including seniors Johnson, Mya Geisinger, and Brooke Anderson.
“These girls contributed so much. We’re going to miss them,” she said.
Brossart added she’d be ready for more Panthers basketball in the 2022-23 season.
“We’re junior-heavy,” she said of Rugby’s roster. “We have a lot of talent there.”