Alex Eisen/MDN MLS sophomore Kylie Abernathey (left) goes up for a shot attempt between multiple Bottineau defenders Monday evening in a first-round Region 6 Tournament contest in Minot.

The shooting Stars of Bottineau rained down a dozen 3-pointers Monday evening inside the Minot Municipal Auditorium.

The Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood Mavericks got caught in the crossfire but didn’t struggle to find an escape route to reach the Region 6 Tournament semifinals.

The District 12 champions MLS (22-1) toppled District 11 No. 4-ranked Bottineau 74-54 to keep its season alive for another day.

The outside shooting display by the Stars (9-14) wasn’t enough to send the Mavericks packing.

“It was a killer,” MLS head coach Wayne Brackenbury said about Bottineau’s 3-pointers. “It kept them in it. We never felt comfortable.”

While 66.6% of Bottineau’s 54 points came from behind the arc, MLS had its own not-so-secret weapon in Leah Feland. The senior guard dropped a Day 1 tournament-high of 32 points. She went 11-for-15 from the floor and made all eight of her free throws.

“You can’t give them much room because (Leah) Feland and (Kylie) Abernathey finish really well inside,” Bottineau head coach Michael Vandal said. “They are just tough to defend. Then, obviously, with (Allison) Undlin and her height, we don’t match up well with that. It’s a very good all-around team. Coached well. A tough matchup.”

The Mavericks used sizeable runs to start both quarters in the first half. MLS scored the first eight points of the contest, then one-upped that by going on an 11-0 burst to open the second frame.

Bottineau had to bury 3-pointers to stay within striking distance, going 12-for-21 in the game. Senior guard Morgan Haerer and junior guard Mya Troska each made four. Eighth-grader Kylie Simpson added three more and junior Sabra Peterson chipped in with one.

“I told (my team) all week that they were going to shoot them, and we have to be closer,” Brackenbury said. “Make them put the ball down because we left Undlin in the middle. They aren’t going to get close to the basket because (Undlin) is going to block shots when they do get into the paint, at least that’s what I’m hoping for anyway.”

Troska scored the Stars first bucket of the second quarter, a 3-pointer, with 4:25 left behind halftime.

The quick-start Mavericks held a 36-25 lead at the break.

“We made it a game, I felt like, for most of it,” Vandal said. “There is just no quit in this team. I know a lot of coaches can say that, but I’m obviously a little partial to my girls. They leave everything they can out on the floor. It doesn’t always mean we win, but they can be proud of that.”

Breaking protocol, Troska scored the first points of the third quarter for the Stars on a possible three-point play. The free throw was missed.

Still, Bottineau wasn’t backing down. Scrappy forward Whitni Peck ripped a rebound away from 6-foot-2 freshman center Undlin and spun in another two points. That cut the Mavericks’ lead to 38-33.

Feland, the District 12 Senior Athlete of the Year, answered with a 3-pointer at the other end.

Bottineau never got closer than five points in the second half.

MLS quickly built up a 19-point lead going into the final quarter, 54-35.

Bottineau managed to score 19 points in the fourth quarter, but MLS outscored them — doing so in all four quarters — with 20 points.

“We are a small team, so we try to play with a lot of heart,” Vandal said. “That is what got us to this point.”

Haerer, a recent Dakota College of Bottineau women’s basketball commit, led the Stars with 17 points. Troska ended with 15 points and Simpson notched 13 points.

Undlin (15 points, seven rebounds) and Madison Moberg (10) reached double figures alongside Feland for the Mavericks.

MLS advances to Region 6 Tournament semifinals where District 11 No. 2-seed Rugby awaits. Tipoff at 7:30 p.m. this evening inside the Minot Municipal Auditorium. Rugby handed MLS its only loss so far this season, 44-27, on Jan. 3 in Rugby.

Bottineau’s season came to a close.

“These three seniors (Haerer, Jenna Beaver and Ashtyn Allard) have made it the best year I have had coaching,” Vandal said. “They set a high standard… They showed the younger girls how Stars basketball should be with how you treat each other and how hard you work. There were really important to our basketball team and a ton of fun to coach. We are going to miss them.”

Alex Eisen covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @AEisen13.