Tornado Boys use Big Second Half to Dispatch Hankinson as Hansen Reaches Milestone

Posted By: Daniel Hepner
January 25, 2021 @ 10:42 pm
Sports

Oakes, ND (NewsDakota.com) – The Oakes Tornadoes started out slow Monday night, leading 12-11 after the first quarter and 36-29 at halftime, only to blow the game wide open in the third quarter and cruise to a 92-62 victory over the Hankinson Pirates. The Tornadoes turned the ball over seven times in the first quarter, and they never seemed to find a rhythm until returning from the locker room after halftime.

With under two minutes remaining in the first half, Tornadoes head coach Rod Kramer pulled his starters out of the game and let a group of younger players finish the half along with senior Alex Muggli. Coach Kramer said that he went in the locker room ready to light a fire under his players, and they responded, outscoring the Pirates 37-17 in the third quarter.

Senior Ashton Biesterfeld scored 15 points in the third quarter, and fellow senior Steele Hansen added 13. Hansen hit a milestone as well, as he scored his 1,000th career point in the second quarter. During a timeout, Hansen was acknowledged and given a commemorative basketball for his accomplishment.

Hansen led all scorers with 32 points, and Biesterfeld finished with 22. Senior Garret Meehl added 19 for the Tornadoes. The Pirates were led in scoring by sophomore Cruz Hernandez, who used a series of strong drives to the basket and free throws to finish with 24 points, including 14 in the second quarter. He was supported by junior Kaden Kelley, who scored 16 with four three-pointers.

The Pirates fell to 1-6 on the season, while the Tornadoes improved to 8-3. The Tornado boys next play on Saturday, when the Medina-Pingree-Buchanan Thunder visit as part of a double-header with the girls’ teams. Those games will be on KDDR 1220 am/95.9 fm with coverage beginning around 2:15 pm.

The Tornado girls will play at Lisbon Tuesday night, then they will host the Lamoure-Litchville/Marion Loboes on Thursday night, with both games available to listen to on KDDR with coverage starting around 7:15 pm. Friday, there is wrestling action in Napoleon including the Oakes wrestling team, and that coverage will start on KDDR at 3 pm. All of those games can also be streamed live on newsdakota.com.