Your future, our focus
The Northwest College women’s basketball team is turning into a true grit outfit. Despite shooting under 30 percent from the field twice, the Lady Trappers pulled out two Region IX games last weekend at Cabre Gym and now have a winning record.
After downing Miles Community College, 75-71, on just 26.1 percent shooting and Dawson Community College, 60-55, on just 27.4 percent shooting while coming from behind, the Trappers are 7-6, already exceeding the 2018-19 team’s win total.
“Both games we battled and stayed composed,” said coach Camden Levett.
Levett called the Miles game “a foul fest,” but the Trappers making 78 percent of their free throws was critical.
The game was close all the way, but regulars Adela Smutna (19 points, nine rebounds) and Samiah Worrell (18 points) helped repel Miles challenges. They were aided by Riley Aiona’s spark off the bench with 10 points and seven rebounds and some timely late play by Sapirah Broussard (nine points).
Levett said good crowds provided a loud atmosphere to boost the players, yet they came out sluggishly for the second game. Dawson led 20-10 at the end of the first quarter – after starting 12-0 – and it took a fourth-quarter rally for the Trappers to prevail. Northwest won the fourth period 25-10.
“It took us the entire game to catch up,” Levett said, “but we kept plugging away and getting timely stops on defense.”
Worrell was top gun with 15 points and eight rebounds. No one else was in double figures, but Aiona contributed nine points and eight rebounds. Brittany Roberts, who transferred to Northwest from Dawson, added seven points and four steals after not previously playing very much.
Northwest is on the road for two games in North Dakota this weekend, versus Bismarck State and United Tribes, and then does not play again until a home game Jan. 5 against Williston State.
“We want to end 2019 on a high note,” Levett said.