Tigers fall in fourth quarter to Clarinda

CLARINDA—A strong fourth quarter for the Clarinda Cardinals led to the Red Oak girls basketball team losing Friday night 47-43.

The Tigers were outscored 20-9 in the fourth quarter as they left Clarinda with the loss. Red Oak had entered the fourth quarter with a 34-27 lead.

Kate Walker and Blake Bergren each scored 13 points to lead Red Oak. Bergren also had four rebounds and four steals.

Grace Blomstedt came close to getting double-double numbers, but finished with eight points and seven rebounds.

Sabrina Guerra scored four points, Bailey Hankins had three points and Makelti White scored two.

Red Oak 51, Atlantic 39

Red Oak’s week started last Tuesday at home when they easily defeated the Atlantic Trojanns, 51-39.

The game was close in the first quarter, but Red Oak blew up in the second quarter, scoring 23 points and takinga 35-24 lead at halftime.

“There were times in that second quarter that we were playing as well as we could play and that made me a little nervous,” Red Oak Head Coach Dan Martinez said.

The scoring slowed down in the third quarter, but it favored the Tigers as the defense gave up four points during that time.

Red Oak played much of the third quarter without guard Walker, who had picked up her third foul early in the quarter.

“It was tough, but I liked what I saw from the rest of the team,” Martinez said. “Everybody executed the offense and we weren’t so reliant on [Walker] to do it and I know we can do it now.”

Walker finished the night with nine points and seven assists.

The Tigers were able to get to the line during the third quarter with the help from Bailey Hankins, who scored eight points off the bench, most via free throws.

“She’s so awkward, at times she looks like she’s fouled, but I don’t know,” Martinez said.

Atlantic rallied and tried to close the gap as Red Oak’s lead was 20 points at one point in the second half.

Blomstedt was the leading scorer for Red Oak as she scored 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting, with eight rebounds and three steals.

Bergren also had double-digit points as she scored 10 on 4-for-8 shooting with five rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks.

Guerra had a busy night, both offensively and defensively, scoring seven points and grabbing six steals.

“That’s her best game, overall,” Martinez said about Guerra.

Red Oak opens the week on the road with a game against Glenwood Tuesday night at 6 p.m.

Friday night, Red Oak will be home as they face the Lewis Central Titans.