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By Levi Zimmerman
The top-ranked girls basketball team in division four, Mineral Point, achieved their 18th straight win Tuesday night with a 59-40 victory over the Darlington Redbirds.
The Pointers jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead with an and-one play by senior Blair Watters.
Watters was recently nominated as a RallyAroundUs Athlete of the Week by WSN.
Darlington's junior leading-scorer Cayla Golackson had an inside basket to put the Redbirds on the board.
Golackson scored all six of Darlington's first points of the game.
Mineral Point proceeded to go on a seven-point run, and senior point guard Mallory Lindsey had five of them, with a three-point field goal and a two.
Lindsey is currently ranked sixth in the state in division four in three-point shooting, at 40 percent, and she is second in three-pointers made, with 59.
Watters assisted her sister, sophomore Belle Watters, on a two-point score, then slashed to the goal for a basket of her own to put Mineral Point ahead, 21-8.
The Pointers' lead would be increased to 17 with back-to-back two-point scores by Lindsey.
They would go up by 20 after a three-pointer by senior Ella Chambers and another two by Watters.
But the Redbirds had a swift eight-point swing, led by senior Taylor Wedig, who had five points.
Senior Gretta Volkening knocked down a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 32-20 with just over a minute left in the first half.
Mineral Point led, 34-20, at halftime.
Darlington got within 11 points midway through the second half, with baskets by Golackson, Kaylee Schwartz and Jaidyn Evenstad.
However, the Pointers' offense was just too strong, as they drilled five, three-point field goals in the second half, and Lindsey had three of them.
Mineral Point out-scored Darlington, 25-20, to grab the win.
Lindsey led the way with 20 points, Blair Watters followed with 14.
Golackson led the Redbirds with 19 points.
The Pointers improved to 18-0, overall, and 8-0 in the SWAL with the win.
Darlington moved to 8-9, overall, and 4-4 in the SWAL.
Mineral Point has two games on the road before returning home Feb. 3.
Next up for the Pointers is Southwestern Friday, Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 31 they will travel to Fennimore to face the Golden Eagles at 7:30 p.m.
SCORE BY HALVES
Darlington 20 20 40
Mineral Point 34 25 59
BOX SCORE
DARLINGTON 40: (fg-ft-tp)
Rielly 1-2-5, M. Wedig 0-0-0, Gille 0-0-0, Zuberbuhler 0-0-0, McCarthy 1-0-2, K. Schwartz 0-0-0, Evenstad 1-0-2, Grossen 0-0-0, J. Schwartz 2-0-4, Volkening 1-0-3, Golackson 8-3-19, T. Wedig 2-1-5. Totals- 16-6/9-40 Fouls- 13
MINERAL POINT 59:
L. Lindsey 0-0-0, M. Lindsey 8-0-20, Belle Watters 2-0-4, Chambers 3-1-8, Blair Watters 6-1-14, Kroll 2-0-5, Wenger 2-1-5, Cox 0-3-3. Totals- 23-6/12-59 Fouls- 12
3 point goals:
DTON (2)- Volkening 1, Rielly 1
MP (7)- M. Lindsey 4, Blair Watters 1, Chambers 1, Kroll 1