PIERRE — When you score 11 points in the second half, it can be hard to win.
The Redfield-Doland Pheasants girls’ basketball team found that out the hard way on Thursday night, as they lost 51-27 to the defending Class A champions, the St. Thomas More Cavaliers, in a Round of 16 game at Riggs Gymnasium in Pierre.
“I thought we came out and looked them in the eye in the first half,” said Pheasants coach Tommy Gregg said. “We battled with one of the best teams in the state. I think we’re a team on the rise.”
And battle they did, as the Pheasants were down 13-9 after the first quarter. Seven of those nine points were courtesy of leading scorer Addison Rozell. Both teams kept battling, with the Cavs taking a 21-16 lead into halftime. The second half would be the downfall of the Pheasants as the Cavs took a 36-25 lead into the final quarter. They’d play lockdown defense in the fourth, allowing only two Pheasants points en route to the 51-27 win.
“You’ve got to give them a ton of credit defensively,” Gregg said. “They slowed us down quite a bit. Our leading scorer didn’t have a single point in the second half. Anytime that happens to you, that’s gonna hurt you. They’re well coached and have a high basketball IQ.”

Despite the win, Cavs coach Brandon Kandolin said the Pheasants gave them a fight.
“They were strong, and they were physical.” Kandolin said. “They capitalized on a lot of our mistakes. You can’t make those kinds of mistakes with a good team like this. In the second half, we became a little more composed.”
The Cavs had a balanced scoring attack, as they had three players in double figures, led by junior guard Alex Kandolin, who had a game high 13 points. Freshman guard Haleigh Timmer and senior forward Jayden Bies each had ten points. Meanwhile, the Pheasants were led by freshman power forward Addison Rozell, who had nine points. Senior small forward Rylie Gall had seven points while junior guard Eve Millar had five points.
With the win, the Cavs advance to the Class A State Tournament held next week in Watertown. They’re no strangers to the big dance, as the Cavs are the defending Class A State Champions. Going to State seems like a tradition for the Cavs, and Kandolin said he thinks that past experience will help his team.
“”That past experience is really important, especially for this group,” Kandolin said. “We were able to play the semifinals and State Championship Game without our point guard, which made our girls mature and a lot stronger. We need to recall what happened last year, have good composure and good leadership, and play together as a unit.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF TODD THOMPSON

Redfield-Doland’s Eve Millar puts up a floater in the paint during a Class A Round of 16 game Thursday against St. Thomas More at the Pierre T.F. Riggs High School gym.

St. Thomas More emerged with a 52-28 victory to earn a berth in the Class A State Tournament, which is scheduled March 8-10 at Watertown Civic Arena.