Durant’s girls’ basketball team won a playoff game last week. But that was just the second-best reason to celebrate.
A few days earlier, senior Isabelle DeLong scored her 1,000th career high school basketball point in Tuesday’s (Feb. 6) win against Wilton.
Now sitting at a grand total of 1,023 points, DeLong will look to keep pushing the limit as her team’s season continues after a 51-34 win in the regional quarterfinal against West Branch.
The defenses were locked in to start Saturday’s matchup as both teams scored just five points in the opening frame.
Both teams removed the lid in the second quarter with Durant pulling ahead by three heading into halftime.
The Wildcats found their mojo in the third, exploding for 20 points and doubling up on the Bears’ 10-point quarter output.
Up by 13, Durant extended their lead once again, outscoring the Bears 14-10 in the final frame to secure the win.
DeLong scored a game-high 17 points and nearly added a double-double with nine rebounds. Fellow senior guard Avery Paper added 11 points.
Sophomore guard Paige Happ added eight points while freshman Isla Petersen chipped in an additional five.
Durant was able to continue its mo
mentum from Tuesday’s 62-59 win at home over Wilton.
It was closely contested throughout with no team outscoring the other by more than three points in any quarter.
The difference in the contest came at the free throw line. Durant took 31 free throws and made 20 while the Beavers shot 21 free throws and made just eight.
Once again, DeLong scored a team-high 16 points. Junior Mariah Alpen was next, scoring 13 points.
Paper stuffed the stat sheet with six points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Happ did the same with six points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block.
For Wilton, senior Catie Hook led with a game-high 23 points and six assists. Senior Calli Langley also found her way into double-digits with 16 points and three steals.
Durant earned themselves at least one more game in the regional bracket. It was a doozy as they squared off against Iowa City Regina on Tuesday.
Coverage of this game will be in next week’s edition.