Girls Basketball: Eagles top Eleva-Strum

In a battle of conference-leading teams the Pepin-Alma girls basketball team used a strong fourth quarter to defeat Eleva-Strum 60-53 in Pepin.

Ali Murray led the Eagles (9-3, 6-1 Dairyland-Small) with 24 points and shot 12 of 16 from the free-throw line. Sophia Reidt added 16 points and Emily Kircher scored eight points in the win. Pepin-

Alma has won 9 of its last 10 games.

Stephanie Knutson finished with 22 points to lead Eleva-Strum and Katelyn Nicolet had eight points.

The Eagles trailed 25-22 at halftime but foul trouble and the Pepin-Alma’s full-court press slowed Eleva-Strum as the game moved into the fourth quarter. Two Eleva-Strum starters and one reserve fouled out of the game for a team already lacking a deep bench, Pepin-Alma coach Larry Grisen said.

“We just wore them down, I think, with our press,” he said. “It was a very intense, physical game by two first place teams. It had a tournament feel to it … I was very pleased with the effort of our girls.”

The Eagles made 29 of 46 free-throw attempts and outscored Eleva-Strum 21-11 in the fourth quarter.

Pepin-Alma hosts Blair-Taylor Tuesday in Alma.

Tags: girls basketball, sports, prep, pepin, alma