Third Place Game: Maple River 56, LaMoure-Litchville/Marion 54
The Barnes County Tournament’s final night started with a thrilling finish as the Maple River Raiders edged the LaMoure-Litchville/Marion Loboes in a nail-biter.
Maple River’s Adyson Hannig made history by attempting 19 free throws, setting a new tournament record. She sank 15 of them, including 11 consecutive makes, finishing just one shy of the all-time consecutive free throw record.
The Loboes relied on the combined efforts of Addy Smith and Norah DelaBarre to stay in the game. DelaBarre converted a critical and-one late in the fourth quarter, while Smith’s two clutch free throws with six seconds remaining tied the score at 54-54.
However, Maple River responded immediately with a fast inbounds play. Freshman Hallie Besette outran the Loboes’ defense and made a game-winning layup as time expired, sealing the Raiders’ 56-54 victory.
Championship Game: Valley City 70, Northern Cass 50
The Valley City Hi-Liners claimed their first Barnes County Tournament title since 2010 with a dominant 70-50 win over the Northern Cass Jaguars, fueled by a stifling first-half defensive performance.
Northern Cass star Haidyn Crockett, who entered the game averaging 35 points per contest, was held to just six points in the first half. The Hi-Liners forced 15 turnovers before halftime and built a 30-17 lead. Offensively, Valley City spread the scoring load, with Katie Burchill, Dacota Potratz, Maddie Anderson, and Skye Neilson all contributing five or more points in the opening half.
In the second half, Maddie Anderson took over, hitting five more 3-pointers to finish with eight makes from beyond the arc and a game-high 28 points. Crockett found her rhythm late, scoring 26 points, but it wasn’t enough as she went 10-of-28 from the field and committed five turnovers.
Katie Burchill contributed 16 points and nine rebounds, narrowly missing a double-double, while Dacota Potratz added 13 points and six assists before fouling out in the fourth quarter. The Hi-Liners shot 40.6% from 3-point range throughout the tournament, surpassing 50% in two of their three victories.
Valley City’s next games are road matchups on Dec. 17 and 19 against Fargo Oak Grove and Kindred, marking the start of their regional schedule.