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Warriors rally past Regents, 52-48

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING - Meskwaki Settlement junior Geanna Bear (3) shoots in the lane during the first half of Friday’s game against Waterloo Christian at Meskwaki Settlement School. Bear scored 15 points in the Warriors’ 52-48, come-from-behind conference win.

MESKWAKI SETTLEMENT — It was impossible to miss the joy coming though in Meskwaki girls’ basketball coach Emmett Whalen’s voice after Friday night’s 52-48 come-from-behind win over the Waterloo Christian Regents.

The Warriors (4-8) trailed 35-25 at one point in the third quarter, before turning it around and holding onto a slim lead for much of the fourth quarter.

Whalen said it was the most complete game he’d seen the team play all season long.

“I think that was the hardest we’ve played this year,” Whalen said. “That was fun, it feels good.”

The Warriors were down six at the half following a decent performance, but trailing by 10, there was concern the team’s heads would drop and let the game slip away.

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING

But then Geanna Bear came to the rescue. The junior scored seven straight points to cut the deficit to three and keep the Warriors in the game.

Then in the fourth quarter, it was the turn of senior guard Deandra Navarro to take over. She hit two key 3-pointers in the fourth, both of which put Meskwaki in the lead. The duo was then able to control the game and keep Waterloo Christian at arm’s length for the rest of the contest. Despite the Regent putting on a press late in the game, it allowed the Warriors to score on breakaways and waste time after getting through the initial press.

Whalen said it was huge to have big games from the duo after they had swapped good and quiet games early in the season.

“That’s what we’ve been talking about,” Whalen said. “They’ve kind of been taking turns having good games, and we kinda said we just need to put that together. Go play hard, play off each other, be aggressive and shoot the ball, and they did that tonight.”

Navarro scored a game-high 19 points and hit four 3-pointers. Bear scored 15 with three 3-pointers of her own, and Summer Youngbear contributed six points in the paint.

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING

It’s Meskwaki’s third win since the winter break — a sign that even after losses the Warriors have begun to show the ability to fight back and push for wins with a young team, led by their veteran backcourt.

The Warriors next play at home against Valley Lutheran Tuesday night.

Meskwaki 52, Waterloo Christian 48

At Meskwaki Settlement

WATERLOO CHRISTIAN (6-5) — Sydney Aronson 0 0-0 0, Ashlynn Walston 2 2-3 6, Reagan Wheeler 4 4-4 12, Katie Costello 4 0-2 8, Sidra Wheeler 2 0-0 5, Rachel Bergstrom 0 0-0 0, Allison White 2 1-3 5, Lauren Bergstrom 0 2-2 2, Faith Trelka 4 2-4 10. TOTALS 18 11-18 48.

MESKWAKI (4-8) — Shye Johnson 1 0-0 2, Deandra Navarro 6 3-4 19, Geanna Bear 6 0-3 15, Genesis Ramirez 1 0-0 3, Summer Youngbear 3 0-0 6, Irene Keahna 0 0-0 0, Sia Bear 2 1-1 5, Kalayna White 0 0-0 0, Sophie Balderas 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 20 4-8 52.

W. CHRISTIAN 16 13 13 8 — 48

MESKWAKI 13 8 14 17 — 52

3-Point Goals–WC 1 (S. Wheeler), Meskwaki 8 (Navarro 4, G. Bear 3, Ramirez). Team Fouls–WC 16, Meskwaki 18. Fouled out–Trelka, S. Wheeler, Youngbear. Technical Fouls–G. Bear.

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