A hard-fought road win allowed the Rugby Panther girls to end their regular season with a win last week.

But it didn’t come easy.

In the 45-36 win over the North Star Bearcats in Cando, the Bearcats were able to briefly snatch the lead on an 8-point run in the first quarter. The Panthers took the lead back, with a 13-8 advantage after one quarter.

Jumpers and three-point plays helped the Panthers continue to have an advantage in the ensuing quarter. The tandem of Danielle Hagler and Sydney Staus would put up seven points for the Bearcats on the quarter. Meanwhile the Panthers would score 15 for a 28-15 advantage going into halftime.

The third quarter saw the Panthers’ 20-5 run come to an end, as Hagler would chip in a bucket followed by a 3-pointer for a small 5-0 run for the Bearcats.

The Bearcats would see a boost in momentum in the fourth quarter, putting up five points before Rugby’s Anni Stier responded with a boomer with 3:40 on the clock. The Bearcats would then go 5-6 from the charity stripe on trips for Mya Halverson, Hagler and Jasmine Heisler.

Stier led the Panthers in scoring with 21 points on the night. Brooke Blessum was close behind with 13. Maria Blessum tallied nine points, and Mykell Heidlebaugh notched a bucket in the game. The Panthers were 4-for-8 in free throws.

Hagler led the Bearcats in scoring with 14, and Halverson was on her tail with 11. Staus scored seven points and Heisler four. The Bearcats went 10-for-16 in free throws.

Tournament time

With a 6-0 record in the district, the Panthers got a breather Thursday in the first round of the District 11 basketball tournament and waited to play last night against the winner of a game between no. 4-seed Towner-Granville-Upham Titans and no. 5-seed Westhope-Newburg Sioux.

The District 11 Girls Basketball Tournament continues today in Bottineau, with region qualifying games at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and the championship at 7 p.m.

The tournament started with the 2nd-seed Velva Aggies taking on the 7th-seed Drake-Anamoose Raiders, and 3rd-seed Nedrose Cardinals going up against the 6th-seed Bottineau Stars.

– Tribune Staff Report