Lady Bulldogs’ Semifinals Game Comes Down to 2 OTs

After defeating Redfield 32-14 in the quarterfinals, the Lady Bulldogs put up a fight against No. 2-seeded Groton in the semifinals on the road. The winner was decided by a razor-thin margin not just in OT, but 2 OTs. Milbank took the loss at 54-52.

The Lady Bulldogs had the Lady Tigers by the tail with a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter, but Groton battled back. With the score at 38-37 and Groton in the lead, Milbank’s Susie Schuneman fouled Jerica Locke who dropped in both of her free three throws. Groton was ahead 40-37 with 3.6 seconds remaining on the clock, when Belle Pauli nailed a 3-pointer for Milbank to send the game into OT! The first overtime ended with the score at 44-44.

Pauli led the Lady Bulldogs with 16 points and three assists. She made seven  rebounds and one steal. Anna Neugebauer followed with 13 points. She grabbed eight rebounds and recorded one block and one steal. Violet Johnson scored eight points. She added an assist and two rebounds.  Bree Townsend grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. She also contributed seven points, three assists, and two steals.. Schuneman made five points and two assists. She also secured three rebounds. Bailee Hendricks scored one 3-pointer. Neugebauer and Johnson both fouled out for Milbank. Neugebauer had spent 39:25 on the court. 

Milbank hit 37 percent of their shots from the floor. They connected on 27 percent from beyond the arc. They also downed over 71 percent from the stripe.

Groton was fueled by Jadyn Penning with 20 points and one assist, six rebounds, and two steals.  Locke had 12 points, three assists, six rebounds, and one steal. Kella Tracy made 10 points and nine rebounds. Rylee Dunker scored  six points and added two rebounds. Taryn Traphaagen had four points and four rebounds. McKenna Tietz contributed two points and one rebound. Penning fouled out.

The Lady Tigers hit 38 percent of their shots from the floor. Groton made 21 percent from long range and 50 percent from the free throw line.

MILBANK     12     11     7     10     4     8     52
GROTON      10     10    6     14      4    10    54  

The game ended Milbank’s 2025-26 season. The Lady Bulldogs also say good-bye to Neugebauer – the only senior on their team this year.