Story & Photo from Hastings Broncos
(Yankton, SD) – Coming off a big win over then #16 Briar Cliff, Hastings continued that momentum at Mount Marty. Hastings led by 17 at the half and ended with a 94-64 victory.
Hastings outscored Mount Marty 22-8 in the first quarter, beginning with the first six points of the game by junior Bailey Kissinger, sophomore Josilyn Miller, and senior Mariyah Avila. The Lancers answered back with a 7-0 run, then Hastings scored the next 13 points and 16 of the last 17 in the quarter to take a 22-8 lead. Kissinger had five points early in the run and sophomore Stella Heapy ended the quarter with a couple of triples.
Senior Macy Bryant opened the second quarter with a basket, but the Lancers managed to get within nine points halfway through the period at 28-19. Hastings came right back with a 10-0 run in a minute-and-a-half of action, starting with two layups and ending with a couple of steals turning into threes. The Broncos grew the lead to as much as 20 in the quarter on a three from sophomore McKenna Yates with a minute left. Mount Marty hit from deep right before halftime, making it 45-28.
Hastings shot 43 percent from the field and held Mount Marty to 37 percent overall in the first half. They forced 18 turnovers and scored 17 points off of them. Yates and Heapy led the team in scoring with nine first half points each.
Early in the second half, Mount Marty closed the gap to 11 four minutes in. Sophomore Adyson Mlnarik knocked down a three and Miller scored inside to go back up 16. Mlnarik hit another three shortly after to take a 56-39 lead. Leading 61-44, Yates got back-to-back buckets to push the lead to 21. Mlnarik’s third triple of the quarter and two free throws capped a 10-2 run to end the quarter with a 70-46 lead.
Yates got Hastings on the board in the fourth with their first six points and with a 76-53 lead three minutes in, Kissinger got to the rim for two more. Miller and Kissinger each drilled threes later in the quarter put the lead over 30, 86-55, with 3:42 remaining. The Broncos would secure the win shortly after, 94-64.
For the game, the Broncos shot 46 percent from the field and 40 percent from three on 14-35 shooting. They held the Lancers to 40 percent from the field and 34 percent from three. Hastings had a 40-32 rebounding edge and turned 28 turnovers into 30 points.
Yates led Hastings with 19 points and seven rebounds. Mlnarik came off the bench to score 17 points, including 5-7 from three, and six rebounds. Miller added 14 points, four rebounds, four steals, and three assists. Heapy contributed 13 points on 3-4 from three, three rebounds, and two steals off the bench. Kissinger was also in double-figures with 12 points and four rebounds.
Up next, Hastings will play at #9 Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday, Jan. 31 at 2pm.
