Bulldog boys’ and girls basketball teams battle in conference games

The Hampton-Dumont-CAL girls’ and boys’ basketball teams have experienced many different types of ups and downs this season.  Through all of this adversity the teams have continued to develop throughout the season.  

Coach Brian Niesen has continued to adapt to his team as a first year coach and the team continues to mesh together.  Coach Miranda Stafford has battled through injury adversity with a young, inexperienced team.  The growth of the teams is starting to show in the win column, but both teams are looking to continue to grow and get more wins.

The H-D-CAL basketball teams opened up a week on the road against the Iowa Falls-Alden Cadets.  The Bulldog girls would look to avenge an earlier season loss to the Cadets.  The first quarter was a defensive battle between the two teams.  The second quarter had more offense between the two squads and the Bulldogs carried a 15-13 lead into the locker room.  Stafford made adjustments and dialed up the pressure, leading to an offensive outburst from the Bulldogs and the Bulldogs would be victorious over the Cadets by a score of 38-29.  The win would push the Bulldogs record to 3-13 and 3-6 in the North Central Conference.

The Bulldog boys’ basketball team would take the court next.  The Bulldogs offense would be stifled all night by the Cadets and their gameplan.  The Cadets double- and triple-teamed Scott Harr all night.  The plan allowed the Cadets to open up a 19-10 lead at the end of the first quarter and a 31-18 lead at halftime.  The Bulldogs would not go away quietly and would storm back at the end of the third quarter and into the fourth quarter, but would never be able to close the gap the Cadets had opened up.  The Bulldogs would lose 57-49.  Tucker Heeren was the leading scorer for the Bulldogs with 19 points on 5 of 8 shooting from behind the 3 point line.  Scott Harr added 16 points and 15 rebounds for the Bulldogs.  The loss would drop the Boys record to 4-9 overall and 2-5 in the NCC.

Friday saw the teams travel to Humboldt for another NCC clash.  The Wildcats entered the girls game with a 9-6 record.  The game opened up as a close, back and forth battle, but the Wildcats opened up in the second quarter and took a 23-15 lead into the locker room at halftime.  The Bulldogs made adjustments and dialed up the defensive pressure in the third quarter and battled all the way back to tie the game at 27.  The Wildcats would adjust to the pressure and pull away in the fourth and win the game 48-33.  The loss would drop the girls record to 3-14 and 3-7 in the conference.

The boys would then take the court to battle the NCC leading Wildcats.  The Bulldogs were not intimidated by the Wildcats and their sharp shooting abilities.  The Wildcats would jump out to a 29-23 lead at the end of the first quarter and then extended that lead to 52-40 at halftime.  The Bulldogs adjusted at halftime and battled back with a strong third quarter, closing the gap to a six-point Wildcat lead.  The Wildcats would hold strong in the fourth quarter winning the game 92-83.  Heeren again would lead the Bulldogs in scoring with a season high 35 points on 14-of-24 shooting.  Heeren would add nine rebounds and 4 assists to his box score.  Harr would would add 26 points and 14 rebounds with five assists for the Bulldogs.  Brody Walton would add another 11 points.  The loss drops the boys record to 4-10 overall and 2-6 in the NCC.

The Bulldogs boys and girls return to action Monday at home against Webster City.  Girls tip at 6:15 with varsity boys to follow.  Thursday the Bulldogs travel to South Hardin to take on the Tigers.  Friday will be an NCC game at home against the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Cowboys and Cowgirls.