The Menahga Lady Braves are off to a 2-1 start on the basketball season with victories over Hill City (47-34) and Cass Lake-Bena (51-46) and a loss at Park Rapids (54-40) in the season-opener.  

The Lady Braves will host the Sebeka Lady Trojans in their home-opener this Friday, December 11, then don’t play again until Thursday, December 17, when they host Pillager.

PR 54, Menahga 40

The Menahga girls couldn’t get their three point game going, sinking just two on 14 attempts, and a 12-for-23 effort at the free throw line also hurt their cause.

Tarah Cleveland and Katie Miller both reached double figures in scoring with 14 and 12 points, respectively.  Cleveland also led in rebounds with six and Miller was the steals leader with six. Beth Tormanen and Arielle Pihlaja each sank a three-point shot.

Also contributing to the scoring effort were Lindsey White (six points) and Amelia Pho (three points).

Menahga recorded five blocked shots: two by Pho with one each by Pihlaja, White and Miller.

Menahga 47, Hill City 34

Although the Lady Braves were held to just six baskets in two-point range, Cleveland and Miller each drained three shots from beyond the three-point arc. A 17-for-25 performance at the charity stripe also helped, as did a sound defensive plan.

Cleveland and Miller again led the team in scoring with 17 points and 15 points, respectively. White notched eight points with five for Pho and two for Tormanen.

Pho led the team in rebounds with seven, while White and Bridget Taylor each hauled down five.

Menahga totaled 15 steals for the game. Miller led the way with four. Cleveland, White and Pho made three apiece and Tormanen garnered two.

Menahga 51, CL-B 46

Although Menahga did a nice job defensively against a physical Cass Lake squad, the team had to climb on the shoulders of Cleveland for offense. Cleveland scored 35 points, including 12 points from three-point range, while also posting a team high six rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Miller tallied eight points, four boards, three assists and four steals. Tormanen scored five with four rebounds, one assist and three steals. Pihlaja notched two points, one board, one assist and one steal, and White scored one point with four rebounds. Pho pulled in five rebounds to go with two steals.

Miller, Tormanen, White, Pho and Taylor each recorded a shot block.