It’s been a long wait to see the Lady Dragon basketball team step on the court, but after a nine month wait, they are back to making plays and winning games.  Playing their first game of the 25/26 season on the road in American Falls, the MHS team claimed the win 61-20 in their Friday night matchup.

Energetic, intense, aggressive, competitive, dynamic, fierce, assertive, tenacious,  scrappy... all words that clearly described the Lady Dragons first game of the season.  The team opened the game with a quick two point lead, made by Mikell Keetch off the pass from Kiley Miller.  As the American Falls Beavers took possession of the ball out of bounds, the MHS set up into their full court press, a strategy that caused an immediate turnover.  The following MHS offensive attack ended in an easy bucket for Malad, Liv Nelson banking the short shot in as she came off of Keetch’s screen and connected with the pass from Izzy Haycock.

Setting up in their full court press again, the Lady Dragons forced nothing but havoc and chaos for the Beavers over the next minute plus.  American Falls had yet to bring the ball out of the backcourt, Malad putting constant pressure on the ball.  Eventually the Beavers set up into an offense and got off a hurried shot, Nelson getting the rebound for Malad.  

Regardless of what end of the court the game was on, it was the Lady Dragons that dominated the game.  Up 9-3, the Beavers were working the ball around the outside, getting an open shot.  The ball came in short, hitting the rim and bouncing long.  Landing near Haycock, she reached out to tip the ball toward the MHS basket and passed her opponent.  Surging around the defense, Haycock scooped up the ball, took three easy dribbles and laid the shot in for two points.  

In another defensive stop turned offensive score, Paityn Ward, in off the bench, managed a steal as she played the top of the Malad zone.  Turning for the MHS hoop, she outpaced the trailing defense to lay in another scoop shot for Malad, getting the foul as well.  She turned the scoring opportunity into a three point play as she swooshed her single free throw. 

The Lady Dragon defense continued to shut down the AF offense, holding them to only 7 points to end the first quarter, a large contrast to their own 17 points.  The tough pressure was just too much for the Beavers, lending to hurried passes, rushed decisions, and altogether poor performance.  It’s not that they were poorly coached or with little talent, the simple fact was that the MHS defense was altogether dominating.  Throughout the game, the Lady Dragons forced 21 turnovers, a far cry from their own 6.

The second quarter looked much like the first- Malad’s offense getting a shot off with nearly every possession, American Falls faltering under the defensive pressure.  The Lady Dragons never seemed to slow.  Even when the Beavers were at the free throw line, a likely scoring opportunity for AF, the MHS team still turned it in their favor.  After American Falls missed both shots, Keetch quickly grabbed the rebound to throw it to the back court.  Waiting was Brynnlee Jones and a single defender.  Taking the 1v1 situation head on, Jones made a move to the basket, stepping to the left of the defense to hook a scoop shot in for another MHS score.  As the half came to a close, the Lady Dragons led 35-12.  

The MHS chemistry continued to shine as they played into the third quarter, the players moving and flowing as one.  Miller picked off a number of AF passes, able to be in the right place and the team put on the right kind of pressure.  Mady Vanbebber went up for a rebound and managed an easy put back in as fellow post player Nelson sealed the defense behind her.  The quick passes and court vision led to a number of wide open shots, Jones hitting several deep corner 3’s.  The Beavers managed only 5 points in the third quarter, one scoring opportunity rebutted by Haycock getting the inbound pass and taking it coast to coast, kissing the layup in.

Up 56-17, the fourth quarter flew by, the clock running except for timeouts due to the 30+ mercy rule.  Still the Lady Dragons outscored the Beavers, 8-3 as they closed out the game 61-20.

Haycock led the team in scoring with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals and 3 deflections.  Jones followed with 16 points, 1 rebound and 1 steal.  Nelson and Vanbebber had 7 rebounds a piece.  Ward led in steals with four and Miller and Keetch both tallied 4 assists throughout the game.

Head Coach Trevor Jones commented after the game, “We are excited for basketball season to be here.  We have a great group of girls that came out this year pumped to see what they will do!  We had a great start to the season as we traveled to American Falls. The girls came out ready, hitting on offense and made it tough for the Beavers to get many good looks on defense. 

“Our girls play tough and have a lot of different looks we can throw at teams. And we are just getting started! It will be great to showcase what these girls have put in over the summer, prepping for this season and to see the progress as they keep striving and learning throughout the year.”

Before Malad had their first scheduled game of the season, they took on two of the best teams of the state, the Rigby Trojans and Sugar/Salem Diggers, to play two quarters against each team.  Measuring up to the challenge, the Lady Dragons came out to win against both teams, a truly amazing feat. 

The Lady Dragons will be full swing into their schedule next week as they first host Ririe, a likely state contender, on Tuesday, November 18.  Then the MHS team will go for a road trip, heading up north to take on Melba Friday followed by Parma Saturday afternoon.