Hot shooting St. Mary’s defeats Panthers, 58-45

HIAWATHA — The St. Mary’s Bears had one of those days shooting the basketball, and unfortunately for the Concordia Panthers, it came against them.
St. Mary’s, a team that relies heavily on the inside presence of 6-1 Hayden Heim and 5-10 Brenna Smith, and was shooting just over 20 percent from three-point range, connected 9 of 16 shots from beyond the arc for 56 percent on its way to a 58-45 victory over Concordia in the final round of the Hiawatha Invitational girls’ basketball tournament on Saturday.
Catherine Moylan knocked down five three-point shots on her way to scoring 15 points for the Bears. Isabel Hurla connected on four threes and also scored 15 points.
“Our main focus was stopping their two post players. We knew number three (Moylan) could shoot the ball, but we didn’t expect her to go off like that. A team shoots 60-some percent like that, you just have to live with it,” Concordia coach Trey Kuhlman said.
Concordia went 1-2 in the tournament, and is now 3-10 overall.
St. Mary’s, now 5-7, won two of its three games in the tournament.
The Bears did get the ball inside to Smith for the first two points of the game, but Moylan followed with three consecutive three-points shots to make it an 11-0 game three minutes in.
Two free throws by Taylor McDaniel, a short baseline jumper by Carlie Carlgren and another free throw by McDaniel left Concordia trailing 11-5.
McDaniel hit four of six field goal attempts and six of nine free throws in scoring a team-high 14 points for the Panthers.
St. Mary’s got back-to-back baskets by Heim and a three by Hurla to extend its lead to 18-5.
Heim matched Moylan and Hurla with 15 points.
Charlize Cash made a three, and Concordia trailed 18-8 going into the second quarter.
Cash made four of six three-point attempts in scoring 12 points for the Panthers. She grabbed six rebounds.
Moylan and Hurla buried threes and Heim made one of two free throws in the first 2:29 of the second period to give the Bears a 25-8 cushion.
Concordia got threes by Hanna Acree and Kinsleigh Bethune during a 7-2 spurt that made it  a 27-16 game.
St. Mary’s answered with a three-point play by Heim and a bucket by Smith, and led 32-16 at halftime.
“I felt like every time we were starting to make our way back into the game they would hit a deep shot on us, or make a great play that stopped our momentum,” Kuhlman said.
A jumper by Cianna DeLeon and two free throws by McDaniel in the first 56 seconds of the second half pulled Concordia within 12 points, 32-20.
Starting with a three by Hurla, the Bears scored the next six points.
Cash made back-to-back threes and Carlgren went one of two from the free throw line, and the Panthers were again within 11 points, 38-27.
Again scoring six quick points, St. Mary’s went up 44-27.
The Bears were up 46-30 heading into the final eight minutes of play.
Concordia used a 12-5 run to close the gap to 51-42 when McDaniel scored inside with 3:43 remaining.
St. Mary’s outscored the Panthers 7-3 over the final 3:30 to secure the win.
Concordia had Acree score eight points in the game.
Smith added 10 points for St. Mary’s.
In the other games played in the tournament on Saturday, host Hiawatha edged Marysville in a rematch, 43-42, and Jackson Heights downed Lafayette High School, 60-54.
Concordia has two home games this week against Clifton-Clyde on Tuesday and Sacred Heart on Saturday.

CONCORDIA (45)
Bethune 1-0-3 3, DeLeon 1-0-3 2, Acree 3-0-4 8, Carlgren 2-2-2 6, Cash 4-0-2 12, McDaniel 4-6-3 14. Totals: 15-8-17 45.
ST. MARY’S (58)
Garland 0-1-1 1, McCann 0-0-1 0, Moylan 5-0-3 15, Smith 5-0-2 10, SnighDhillon 1-0-0 2, Heim 6-3-2 15, Hurla 5-1-1 15. Totals: 22-4-10 58.