Prep Basketball: (Girls) Lincoln Earns Sweep

The Sioux Falls Lincoln girls basketball team topped off the weekend with a sweep of Rapid City by downing Rapid City Stevens Saturday afternoon in Sioux Falls beating the Raiders 39-32.

The Patriots jumped on top of Stevens 15-5 after one quarter as sophomore Ellie Brecht had five points early.

But the Patriots went cold scoring only seven points in the next 14-plus minutes of the game and trailed for the first time in the game 23-22 when Raiders' senior Shelby Shorb hit one free throw with 3:21 left in the third period. From that point Lincoln outscored Stevens 17-9 in the games final 11:21, including a 13-4 edge in the fourth quarter.

The Patriots defense was good, holding the Raiders to just 21 percent shooting from the floor, allowing RCS only nine field goals. Lincoln shot 37 percent and turned the ball over 28 times.

Senior Cera Ledbetter led Lincoln with 10 points and seven rebounds. Senior Shelby Merritt, playing the point for injured Darby Hugunin had eight rebounds, four assists and five steals.

Senior Mica Standing Soldier played only 11 minutes and left the game in the second quarter due to a leg injury. Hugunin has her hard cast off her broken arm and will find out February 19 if she has a chance at district play.

Stevens(6-12, 1-7) had just 32 total points, three players scored 31 of those points. Shorb scored 11, Taylor Molstad and Gabby Haefs had 10 each.

The victory moves Lincoln to 11-5 on the season and 9-1 at home. They play at Mitchell Friday night and at O'Gorman on Saturday.