Thursday, March 28th, 2024 Church Directory
Becker seniors Ayla Brown (first photo), Maren Westin (second photo), and Dani Nuest (third photo) are an impressive 70-0 in conference play during their five years as varsity basketball players. (Submitted photos.)

Becker girls claim 4th straight M8 BB title

With a convincing 81-58 win last Friday over Cambridge-Isanti, the Becker girls basketball team captured its fourth straight Mississippi 8 Conference title.

Becker had one final regular season game Thursday night at St. Francis, but with the Bulldogs undefeated in conference play and second place Cambridge sitting with two losses, the title is guaranteed stay in Becker for yet another season.

Add in the Granite Ridge Conference Championship from 2019, and the Bulldogs have won a total of five straight conference championships.

According to Coach Dan Baird, this year’s senior trio of Dani Nuest, Maren Westin and Ayla Brown are an impressive 70-0 in conference play for their careers.

In the road win over the second place Bluejackets, it was never close as Becker set a school record in hitting 19 of 30 three point attempts, an absolute scorching 63%.

“Hitting 63% from the field on 30 attempts is a school record,” Baird said.  “The 19 three’s made in a game also ties a school record that we first set last year in a game against St. Cloud.”

Brown hit a ridiculous 73% of her long range attempts (8-for-11), while Westin was 4-for-5 and Nuest was 5-for-10.

Westin added 11 rebounds for a double-double, while also picking up six assists.

Becker led 42-28 at halftime and held a nice rebounding advantage, 34 to 27.

After the game against the Saints, Becker will enjoy a bye in the first round of section play as their 22-3 season record and #1 state ranking will equal the top seed.

The Bulldogs will be idle on February 28 when the Section tournament opens and then will face the winner of the #4 vs #5 seed in a semifinal game March 4 at 1 p.m. at Buffalo High School.  The Section Finals are slated for March 9 at 5 p.m., also in Buffalo.

Becker scoring: Dani Nuest 17 (6 assists), Maren Westin 21 (11 rebounds, 6 assists), Hannah Dierkes 6, Ayla Brown 31, Evelyn Kreft 3, Liz Mackedanz 3.