Nathan Beitler/MDN Our Redeemer’s Christian School sophomore Auna Peterson drives past a Bombers defender in the team’s semifinals match in the Nedrose Tournament against the Lewis & Clark-Berthold Bombers on Friday night, Dec. 12.

The Our Redeemer’s Christian School Knights stormed their way through the semifinals of the Nedrose girls basketball tournament Friday night, Dec. 12, coming back in the third quarter to advance to the tournament finals.

The Nedrose Tournament was originally scheduled to begin earlier this week on Tuesday, Dec. 9, with two of the four quarterfinals matches, but inclement weather forced the beginning of the tournament to Thursday, Dec. 11. The quarterfinals of the tournament ended with the Lewis & Clark-Berthold Bombers taking down North Prairie 42-22, Our Redeemer’s beating out the Stanley Blue Jays 44-31, North Garrison winning over Nedrose 51-32 and the Minot High JV team winning out over the Surrey Mustangs 62-57.

The first of the semifinals saw the Berthold Bombers take on the Our Redeemer’s Christian School Knights. The Bombers ended their last season with a trip to the Class B state tournament, being eliminated in the semifinals by eventual state winner Benson County. The Knights only made it as far as a region qualifying match, but they entered this season with a bang.

The Knights had their season opener in the quarterfinals of the Nedrose Tournament, taking home victory for the start of the new season, but the semifinals against the Bombers proved to be a lot tougher. The Bombers were the first to strike in the game, and quickly racked up a 9-0 lead before the Knights could put points on the board. Sophomore guard Londyn Lauf was the first to score for the Knights, shooting the ball for two points after a pass from sophomore Auna Peterson. The rest of the quarter was just as tough. Peterson scored the only other points for the Knights in the first quarter, making just one free throw. The score was 11-3 with the Bombers leading as the teams headed into the second quarter.

The second quarter saw the Knights seed their game up, scoring ten points through the next eight minutes as compared to the Bombers’ six. The Knights deficit from the first quarter kept them from overtaking the Bombers, leaving the score 17-13 at the end of the first half. Peterson led the way for the Knights in the first half, scoring five points for the team. Junior Lauren Strom, seniors Kadyn Braun and Hannah Conway and sophomore Londyn Lauf all followed up with two points each.

The third quarter started off fast for the Knights. Freshman Tessa Carlson kicked it off the third for the Knights, scoring her first points of the game on a break-away layup off of a Bombers rebound. The Knights were able to grab onto the momentum and took their first lead of the night at 18-17. They kept the pressure up and hit a 10-0 run against the Bombers in the third quarter, giving the Knights a 23-17 lead before the Bombers to score in the second half. The Knights and the Bombers fought back and forth, slowly climbing in points through the rest of the third and into the fourth. The team were neck and neck, but the Knights were able to hold onto their narrow lead. With just one minute 18 seconds remaining in the ball game, the Bombers were able to score a perfect three-pointer, tying the game for the first time at 40-40. The Knights took a time out at one minute seven seconds remaining to regroup before heading back on the court. The Knights started off with possession of the ball, passing it back and forth before Carlson took a three-point shot to try and give the Knights their lead back. The shot was unsuccessful, but a battle for the rebound ended with Londyn Lauf being fouled. Senior Hannah Conway took possession of the ball, inbounding it to Kadyn Braun in the corner, who passed the ball back to Carlson at the top. Carlson saw her chance and took her redemption shop, finding the net and giving the Knights their lead back 43-40. The Knights kept their lead through the last seconds of the ball game, giving them the win at 43-40 and advancing them to the finals of the Nedrose Tournament. Londyn Lauf led the Knights in Friday’s game, taking 12 points for herself with Kadyn Braun took second with eight points.

The Knights will play in the tournament finals against the Minot JV team on Saturday, Dec. 13, beginning at 6 p.m.