Lady Bucs Struggle Early This Season

The young Lady Bucs, with a roster consisting of mainly freshmen, are off to a slow start this season. Dawson left the Mon-Dak tipoff tournament with a 1-2 record. The Lady Bucs won their first game versus United Tribes Technical College 69-63. The Lady Bucs were led by freshman Jazmine Half with 17 points and 10 rebounds and lone returning sophomore Eirini Chatzinikoli with 13 points.

In the second game of the tipoff tournament the young Lady Bucs faced Williston. Williston jumped out to an early lead, at one time leading by 16 points in the third quarter. The Lady Bucs pressure defense helped mount a large comeback, cutting the lead to three points early in the fourth quarter. The inexperienced Lady Bucs made some crucial errors in crunch time sending them to their first loss on the season. Eirini Chatzinikoli was the only Lady Buc to score in double figures with 10 points.

In the final game of the tipoff tournament Dawson jumped out to an early 18-1 lead against Lake Region State College, only to end the first half tied at 26. It was a back and forth game in the second half, with the lead changing hands numerous times in the second half. Again the Lady Bucs made critical errors late and Lake Region pulled away sending the Bucs to a 58-71 loss. The Lady Bucs placed three players in double figures led by freshman Jerel White Grass with 17, Chatzinikoli with 16, and Jazmine Half with 10.

The Lady Bucs bounced back and defeated Rocky Mountain College JV 73-66. The Lady Bucs had balanced scoring from their freshmen led by Imari Humphrey with 17, Jazmine Half with 13, and Jerel White Grass and Lucia Godoy each with 12.

The Lady Bucs were defeated by Central Wyoming College 70-58 in the second game of back- to-back games. The Lady Bucs trailed nearly wire-to-wire, only leading by two in the early going. The Lady Bucs could never gain momentum in the game and their pressure defense was not effective against the Rustlers. The Lady Bucs placed one scorer in double figures, freshman Lucia Godoy with 10.

Coach Weber on his team's slow start, "We are very young and inexperienced, unable to stay locked in mentally for 40 minutes. We play great defense in spurts, but are unable to sustain our maximum effort for an entire game. I know our best basketball is ahead of us, and I'm optimistic about how good we can be."

Dawson heads to Gillette College for two games this weekend facing Wyoming All Stars and Gillette hoping to build upon their 2-3 record.