The Lady Dragons hosted back to back conference games as they played through their week of scheduled games.  Playing in their second matchup of the season, the MHS took on the Aberdeen Tigers Friday, January 16 before going up against the Wendell Trojans in their first contest of the season.  Malad added two more to the win column, boosting their record to 16-2.

Malad set the tone early against Aberdeen, opening the game on a 14–3 run in the first quarter and never looked back. The MHS team played lockdown defense, switching between man and zone defense to confuse the Tiger offense.  Aberdeen’s only scoring opportunity came midway through the quarter as their forward banked in an unexpected three point shot.  The Lady Dragons’ defense provided few offensive moments for the Tigers as they played a fast pace, high pressure defense.  

The Lady Dragons continued to build momentum in the second quarter, outscoring the Tigers 18–9 to take a commanding 32–12 halftime lead.  Mikell Keetch began the scoring for the quarter, hitting a three pointer off the assist from Izzy Haycock as they transitioned down court.  Mady Vanbebber added two points for Malad, getting the pass at the block before making a power move to the basket.  

Malad’s tough defense often turned into offensive opportunities.  Meeting the offense as Aberdeen crossed half court, Keetch patiently waited for a chance to swipe the ball, tapping it out of her opponent’s reach before taking the ball down court for an easy layup.

Aberdeen had little in response to Malad’s driving attack to the basket, Kiley Miller, Liv Nelson, and Paityn Ward getting past their defenders for three successive lay-ins as they played through the second quarter.  Brynnlee Jones capped off the quarter scoring with a rim rattling three pointer. 

Aberdeen found more offensive rhythm in the third quarter, but Malad matched their output and maintained control before closing out the game in the fourth quarter up 59-31.
Offensively, Malad finished with a balanced scoring attack, placing four players in double figures or near it. Jones led the Lady Dragon scorers with 17 points, adding 5 rebounds and 2 steals, consistently attacking both ends of the floor. Keetch followed with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and a team-high 4 steals, creating transition opportunities off defensive pressure. Haycock recorded a well-rounded stat line with 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, directing the offense and keeping Aberdeen’s defense off balance.

Defensively, Malad imposed its presence throughout the game, forcing turnovers and limiting Aberdeen to just 31 points. The Lady Dragons recorded 13 steals and 10 deflections as a team, disrupting passing lanes and preventing sustained offensive possessions. Nelson anchored the interior defense with 5 blocks, adding 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals.

Malad finished the night with 32 rebounds and 12 assists, reflecting strong ball movement and control of the glass in a dominant home-court performance.

The Lady Dragons followed up Friday’s win with an even more decisive performance against Wendell, holding the Trojans to single-digit scoring in every quarter.  In the first 50 seconds of the game, Malad had already tallied 3 quick rebounds and 4 points, both shots made by Nelson in the paint, setting the pace for the remaining 31 minutes of the game.  The Trojans attempted a tighter defense to keep the Lady Dragons from getting shots off but that only resulted in putting players at the free throw line, Miller, Keetch, and Haycock draining free throws for Malad.

After building a 17–7 advantage in the first quarter, the Lady Dragons’ defense locked in, allowing just 11 total points over the final three quarters while steadily extending the lead.

The third quarter proved decisive, as Malad erupted for 23 points while holding Wendell to just 6, putting the game firmly out of reach.  

Early in the third quarter, Keetch was given bonus shots, easily putting the pair in.  As Wendell began taking the ball down the floor, the tough full court MHS defense put their efforts to a full stop when Haycock snatched a long pass to half court, taking it down for the lay-in.  Bouncing it off the glass too hard, Miller came in to get the weakside rebound and the put back.

Jones couldn’t be stopped from behind the three point line or inside the key, putting up multiple shots from behind the arc and down the lane for Malad.  

Up by 38 to start the fourth quarter, the clock went unstopped except for timeouts.  Despite the running time, the MHS team still put up an impressive 15 points scored by Haycock, Ward, Vanbebber, and Jette Nelson.

The Lady Dragons finished the game with a season-high 69 points, showcasing depth and efficiency on both ends of the floor.  Haycock led the scoring with 15 points while also pulling down a team-high 11 rebounds, completing a double-double.  Jones added 14 points, while Liv Nelson contributed 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks to control the paint. Miller recorded a strong all-around performance with 6 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Mady VanBebber matched Miller with 8 rebounds and added 7 points.
Malad dominated the glass, outrebounding Wendell 45-22 and finished with 23 assists, an all time high for the team and a testament to unselfish ball movement. Defensively, the Lady Dragons held Wendell to just 18 points, recording 4 steals and 4 blocks while consistently forcing tough shots and limiting second-chance opportunities.

The weekend sweep highlighted Malad’s defensive intensity, balanced scoring, and depth as the Lady Dragons continued their push through the final stretch of the regular season.  Head Coach Trevor Jones shared, “We can’t be more proud of what these girls can accomplish as they play Lady Dragon basketball.  A new high assist record for the season coupled with their highest scoring game demonstrated what they can do as they look for not just a good shot but the best shot.”

He continued, “We have big goals for the season and we keep working and pushing towards those goals every day.  These games and the lessons we learned playing them are important steps to accomplish those goals.”

The Lady Dragons will continue their season at home, hosting the West Side Pirates on Thursday, January 22 before taking on the Declo Hornets Saturday.