Oelrich’s senior Jada Rouillard attempts to beat Wakpala defender Tylene Hawk Bear (10) off the dribble.(Photo by Michele Davies)
By James Giago Davies, Native Sun News Today Correspondent
OELRICHS—Recent history repeated itself at Oelrichs on Saturday as the Wakpala Lady Sioux defeated the Lady Tigers for the second time in two weeks, this time, 73-60. It didn’t start out looking like a Wakpala win, as Oelrichs jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but with 4:05 remaining in the opening quarter, sophomore Anaya Otter Robe hit a jumper to give Wakpala a 7-6 lead, and they never looked back.
Although rebounds were basically even, Wakpala holding a 39-36 edge, the Lady Sioux put four players in double figures and dominated the inside game. Senior Angeleigh Twiss hit seven threes for Oelrichs but it was not enough to offset the ability of Wakapala to convert rebounds into buckets. Wakpala led 17-10 after one, 42-27 at the half, 60-42 after three. Oelrichs actually outscored Wakpala 18-13 in the fourth but it was too little too late.
Wakpala’s Ceymone Eagleman led all scorers with 27 points. She also had 8 rebounds. Antania Otter Robe had 14 points and 4 boards, Anaya Otter Robe had 12 points and 13 rebounds, and Eighth Grader Tylene Hawk Bear 10 points. Twiss led Oelrichs with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Jada Rouillard had 11 points and 8 rebounds. Keanna Short Bull 10 points and Amelia Her Many Horses had 8 rebounds.
Wakpala Head Coach Barry Mann was p[leased with his team’s effort, summing it up with the best and most basic compliment a coach can pay his team: “They play hard.”
Mann is sitting on a young team with great promise but the COVID shutdown gave them little opportunity to develop over the winter. He is happy to see spring basketball.
“It’s a good benchmark for them,” Mann said. “They know what they have to do this summer for next fall to be competitive. We had one senior but everybody else will be back and we have a couple of young players coming up.”
The inability for players to gather in large numbers in any reservation gym was felt from Fort Yates to Winnebago. Even the teams that did not participate allowed several of their best players to jump to nearby programs that were participating. These players, such as Eagle Butte’s freshman sensation Teysean Eagle Staff, were ineligible for the spring league. This has allowed the Class B schools to be competitive with Class A Eagle Butte, and provided opportunities for teams that don’t normally meet during the regular basketball season to play each other.
“Originally we had eight games,” Mann said. “but there was another school that dropped out, so six (regular season) games and we are hoping we can get a little tournament among all the schools, kinda like a round robin tournament. Hopefully, we can get it done and get every school to participate and hold it at Wakpala school. Hopefully, things will get back to being as normal as they can be this summer, and we can get some three-on-three camps going, and just get into the gym and participate.”
Oelrichs only had six girls suited up and four of them are seniors so their main goal this spring season was to give those seniors a chance to play in their final year of eligibility. It remains to be seen what type of program will take shape for the girls next year at Oelrichs. They lost coaches and players to the new county high school, Lakota Tech.
(Contact James Giago Davies at skindiesel@msn.com)
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