Sanders County Ledger - Your Best Source For Sanders County News

Mental toughness is not something that just happens. In basketball, it is something that needs to be learned through effort and repetition.

Giving themselves some quality reps in mental toughness, the Lady Hawks dropped a pair of competitive non-conference games in Thompson Falls last week, falling 57-40 to visiting Clark Fork Tuesday, and rallying strong before losing 49-45 to Noxon Thursday.

Coach Doree Thilmony and the Lady Hawks return to action Saturday hosting Anaconda.

Thilmony appreciated the effort by her girls in both games last week.

"The girls are starting to understand things better and are really competing," she said. "The more times we play like that, with that kind of effort, the better off we will be."

The Lady Hawks played the unbeaten Clark Fork Mountain Cats, a co-op team of Alberton and Superior players, tough Tuesday. Thompson Falls trailed only 24-16 at halftime and maintained contact with Clark Fork through the rest of the game.

Making most of her points off of strong offensive rebounding, freshman Megan Baxter scored a career-high 23 points to lead the Hawks, and made it a double-double by also collecting 15 rebounds, seven of which were offensive boards. Baxter also converted nine of 12 free throw attempts in the game.

Haley Morgan added seven points and eight rebounds, Jody Detlaff three points and four rebounds, and Belle Cooper two points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Sarah Detlaff chipped in with eight rebounds and two steals.

Hailey Kelly led a balanced Clark Fork attack with 19 points, Madison Mask added 13 and Madison Lommen and Kenzie Mueller 11 each.

Trailing most of the way against Noxon Thursday, the Lady Hawks rallied to take the lead in the late going before finally falling back.

Behind 34-22 late in the third quarter, the Hawks went on a 17-1 run to take a 39-35 lead. Sarah Detlaff scored seven of her nine points in the game during that big run.

The game took its final turn when Detlaff was called for her fifth foul as Noxon went to the free throw line for 14 attempts after that, making 11 to stave off the Hawks.

Baxter finished with 10 points and eight rebounds to lead the Hawks, Sarah Detlaff scored nine points, grabbed seven rebounds and five steals and passed off four assists, Cooper added eight points, eight boards and five assists and Jody Detlaff eight points and five rebounds.

Maya Stiles scored three points and grabbed a steal, and Faith Frields had a steal and an assist.

Please see other story for Noxon scoring in the game.