Mike Kraft/MDN Our Redeemer’s junior Lauren Strom floats a shot over the outstretched hand of Langdon Area/Munich’s Kemi Morstad during the Dale Brown Hoopster Classic on Monday, Dec. 29 at the Minot Municipal Auditorium.

“Rock bottom is a good foundation.”

It’s Our Redeemer’s coach Hart Andes’ favorite saying and a line he was reminded of a week ago following a disappointing loss to Drake-Anamoose for the team’s second district loss in as many games.

Following a strong start to the season, highlighted by winning the Nedrose Tournament, the Knights lost back-to-back district contests, which included a loss to a Raiders team that had won just one district game all last season. It felt like rock bottom for Andes and the team.

Instead of crumbling like an eroding building, the Knights began pouring the foundation to start their season anew, starting with their first game of the Dale Brown Hoopster Classic against Langdon Area/Munich on Monday, Dec. 29. Lauren Strom and Kadyn Braun worked the pick-and-roll game to perfection and the Our Redeemer’s girls basketball team held off a late charge to come away with a 52-46 victory over the Cardinals at the Minot Municipal Auditorium.

Strom led all scorers with 20 points, helping to get the offense going early as well as late to snap a two-game losing streak. Braun facilitated in the first half while trying to find her shot, which came in the second half, where she scored nine of her 15 points.

“After the Drake game, we had to switch a few things up and one thing was emphasizing the pick-and-roll with Kadyn and Lauren,” Andes said. “They do a great job of working together. With Kadyn getting so much attention, it’s really good to set up that roll and I thought Kadyn did a good job of when she did come off that screen she was finding the opening shooters in the corners and the backcuts.”

Strom was responsible for 14 of her team’s 26 points and seven of their 11 field goals in the first half. Most of her points came as a result of the pick-and-roll, but others were from cleaning up the offensive glass. Strom finished six points shy of matching her career high – something she has set as a goal to beat this season – and enjoys going up against top competition.

“I always love the higher level of competition and playing girls we don’t normally see,” Strom said. “We’ve played them in volleyball and they are always good competition.”

The Knights trailed just once early in the first quarter after Langdon’s Ary Schaefer connected on one of her three 3-pointers to give the Cardinals a brief 7-6 lead. Our Redeemer’s responded with a 6-0 run to reclaim the lead for good, although the Cardinals kept their deficit in single digits most of the contest.

“I thought it was who was the most aggressive and we got beat to the punch by Our Redeemer’s,” Langdon Area/Munich coach Rob Scherr said. “I thought they were more aggressive than we were and more physical.”

The Knights (4-2) led by as many as 11, grabbing a 20-9 lead after Braun knocked down a pair of free throws. But the Cardinals would climb back with two more 3s from Schaefer. Our Redeemer’s took a 26-23 advantage into the break.

Despite struggling to hit shots in the first half, Braun kept shooting and her resiliency paid off as they started falling after the break. She hit her only 3 and followed it up with a shot from in close on the next possession to grow Our Redeemer’s lead to 38-29 late in the third quarter. Auna Peterson also hit from deep and Londyn Lauf scored four of her 12 points in the third.

“Shooters shoot no matter who the player is,” Braun said. “You just can’t get in your head and can’t get frustrated. You just have to be next-point minded.”

Avery Lorenz caught fire for the Cardinals (4-2) in the second half, almost single-handedly keeping them in the game. Lorenz scored all 16 of her points over the final two quarters, scoring from distance, in close and at the line. Lorenz and Hilary Haaven had all but two of Langdon’s points in the fourth.

Strom and Braun continued to work the pick-and-roll in the fourth, and the two combined for 10 points in the fourth as a result. Strom’s final basket gave the Knights a 48-38 lead and Braun’s last bucket came soon after for a 50-39 advantage with 3:30 remaining.

“It’s all Kadyn,” Strom said. “I set that screen and she finds me. She sees that opening and she’s really good at knowing when to pass it to me and when to just take it for herself, because I can’t have it all always.”

The Cardinals made one final run, cutting into Our Redeemer’s lead and trimming it down to 50-44 with just under three minutes to play. Leading by six with three minutes left is a situation the Knights have plenty of practice with, because they practice that exact situation every day at the gym.

“We practice that quite a bit,” Andes said. “We run a drill called the three-minute drill. We put three minutes on the clock and we’re up by six and we have to protect the ball. What really helps us translate to the game is just practicing those situations and being ready no matter what happens.”

Practice paid off as the Knights kept the Cardinals from getting any closer despite Braun picking up her fifth foul and having to watch the final 20 seconds from the bench.

The Knights have yet to win a district game, but they have yet to lose a game on a neutral court. They are now unbeaten in four games played in a tournament or showcase setting, having won three games at the Nedrose Tournament and now one more at the Hoopster Classic.

“It’s just different competition than the district, so we’re just building off of these games and seeing what our potential is here so we can bring it to the district and region level,” Braun said.

Langdon entered the contest receiving votes in the most recent media poll and the Knights are hoping a win over a quality opponent will provide the team with the confidence it needed following that feeling of rock bottom a week ago.

“I’ve been here four years and I’m super excited about this team,” Andes said. “Potential is there, it just really depends if we can come together at the right time and peak at the best time toward the end of the season. That loss earlier in the year, it’s better to have losses in the beginning of the year than at the end of the year.”

Haaven and Schaefer both finished with 11 points to put three Cardinals in double figures.

The Knights play Rugby at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 30, at the Minot State University Dome.