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Winter 2019-2020
SPORTS PREVIEW / BLACK HILLS PIONEER
Lady Broncs ready to start basketball season By Jason Gross Black Hills Pioneer
BELLE FOURCHE — Belle Fourche tips off its girls’ basketball season Dec. 13 at Hill City and goes to St. Thomas More the next day. The Broncs’ Dec. 17 game against Sturgis is the first of nine home games on the regular-season slate. That includes a three-game homestand (Jan. 25 through Feb. 4) and a two-game stretch (Feb. 11 and 14). Senior guard Harley Fischer and junior guard Bella Jensen started last season and return for Belle Fourche, guided by eighth-year head coach Bill Burr. Seniors Bree Pierce (guard), Taryn Stedillie (guard), and Savannah Rosales (guard); and sophomore Kaylin Garza (center) are among the other players who gained varsity experience a season ago.
Junior guards Laney Brill and Jasmyn Jensen; junior center Hayley Wilbur; sophomore guards McKenzie Lyons and Dru Keegan; ninth-grade guards Chloe Crago and Dylan Stedillie; and ninth-grade center Tia Williamson round out the roster as of press time. “We’re going to be quick and get up and down the court,” Burr said in describing the squad. “We have some good size to us this year, also.” Burr said the Broncs will also be aggressive as in the past. He added the hope is that outside shooting can complement inside play. “The first thing we do is go back to basics,” Burr said. “We do a lot of footwork, defensive stuff, one-on-one stuff.” Progression then includes running the offense and different defensive styles. Communication also receives a lot of attention. “So far, this is probably one of my
more vocal groups that we’ve had,” Burr said. “They know we’re going to have to rely on each other this year to be successful.” As for the schedule, Burr looks at the opening two-week slate that includes the Stateline Classic set for Dec. 20-21 in Newcastle, Wyo. “Four out of five games are on the road,” Burr said of that opening stretch. “We’re going to be tested early.” St. Thomas More and Hill City should contend for the Black Hills Conference title. Burr said teams like Red Cloud, Custer, Lead-Deadwood, Spearfish, and Sturgis should be very solid. “Every game’s going to be very competitive for us,” Burr said in assessing the whole conference. “We’re going to have to show up and play our best every night just to compete.” Burr said Belle Fourche enjoys solid outside shooting plus the ability to go
inside. He added the Broncs should stack up well, but success depends on how far they are able to go into their bench. Success will depend on accountability and all players performing their roles, according to Burr. He said players also need to come together as a team. Official practice sessions began Dec. 2, with shooting and ball handling among the items taking center stage. Burr said the Broncs want to return to the SoDak 16 event this season. He added the team must take things one game at a time. Along with shooting, Burr said he would like to see the team penetrate better with the ball. The Broncs finished 17-5 last season and fell 40-27 to Aberdeen Roncalli in the Class A SoDak 16 event. Rylee Young, Payson Birkeland, and Ashley Byrd graduated from that squad.
Belle Fourche girls’ basketball schedule
Dec. 13 at Hill City 6 p.m. Dec. 14 at St. Thomas More 6:30 p.m. Dec. 17 hosting Sturgis Brown 5:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at Newcastle Stateline Shootout 3:30 p.m. Dec. 21 at Newcastle Stateline Shootout 3:30 p.m. Jan. 4 at Wall 3:30 p.m. Jan. 11 hosting Red Cloud 3 p.m. Jan. 14 at Spearfish 5:30 p.m. Jan. 18 at Wright, Wyo. 2:30 p.m. Jan. 23 hosting Douglas 7:30 p.m. Jan. 24 at Hot Springs 5 p.m. Jan. 25 hosting Bowman County, N.D. 1 p.m. Jan. 28 hosting Lead-Deadwood 5:30 p.m. Feb. 4 hosting St. Thomas More 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at Douglas 6:30 p.m. Feb.11 hosting RC Christian 5:30 p.m. Feb. 14 hosting Custer 4:30 p.m. The Belle Fourche varsity girls’ basketball team includes: back row left, Kaylin Garza, Laney Brill, Bree Pierce, Hayley Wilbur, Feb. 18 at Sturgis Brown 6:30 p.m. Bella Jensen, Tia Williamson, Dylan Stedillie, Taryn Stedillie; front row left, McKenzie Lyons, Dru Keegan, Chloe Crago, Jasmyn Feb. 20 at New Underwood 5:30 p.m. Jensen, Savannah Rosales, and Harley Fischer. Head coach Bill Burr is not pictured. Pioneer photo by Jason Gross Feb. 21 hosting Faith 7 p.m.
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