Bismarck tears district crown away from Alton

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By MATT KING
mking@dailyjournalonline.com
VAN BUREN, Mo. – Those comeback kids from Bismarck have done it again.
The Lady Indians rushed into some nervous mistakes, and faced a late five-point deficit on Friday night as their district basketball championship hopes slipped deeper into jeopardy.
And naturally, the same resilient crew that rallied to win a state volleyball title in extraordinary fashion nearly four months ago, refused to bend under the pressure of potential elimination.
Bismarck delivered a series of defensive stops, and assembled a pivotal 9-0 scoring surge to overtake Alton 49-45 in the Class 2, District 3 final.
“We came to the realization with three minutes left that we had to work harder,” senior forward Ashley Hawkins said. “We knew this game would be tough, so we just had to be confident in each other.”
Players established a physical and aggressive tone in the paint from the outset, resulting in heavily contested shots and common whistles for dual possession.
Sophomore guard Grace Randazzo scattered five 3-pointers at instances when her club most needed a spark, and scored a game-high 19 while making three steals.
Hawkins ripped down her 11th rebound with added ferocity on a missed free throw, and immediately tossed in the clinching putback with 7 seconds left.
Bismarck (20-4) seized its second district crown in three years, and advanced to face Duchesne in the state sectional round on another neutral court Monday at Kingston High School.
“I looked forward to the opportunity when it was given to me. I knew this team had something special,” said head coach Logan Blunt, promoted this season after serving as an assistant. “A group made up of seniors and sophomores. Once they learned how to play together, they became a dangerous combo.”
Kassidy Reynolds netted 16 points for Alton (17-10), and was especially lethal on jumpers from the deep baseline. Center Emma Trantham provided 12 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.
The Lady Comets arguably mirrored the most glaring attributes of their opponents with confident, active guards and formidable size inside.
Bismarck senior Halie Dickey and Alton junior Kaylee McIntyre neutralized one another to a single field goal each through the first three quarters.
Both teams prioritized avoiding foul trouble with just 15 players in uniform between them. But that never curtailed their intensity amid 11 riveting lead changes.
“They play really good man defense, and make it tough to get inside the paint. We love to drive, and it creates everything for us,” Blunt said. “We knew it would be a battle for all four quarters. I’m just glad the time ended with us on top.”
Ayla Hawkins grabbed nine rebounds off the bench, and equaled her older sister with eight points. A third-chance basket sent Bismarck into the final stanza holding a 34-32 edge.
But a dangerous threat finally emerged for Alton when Miley Haney popped open to bury two straight 3-pointers and create a rousing momentum shift.
Although the Lady Indians missed an ensuing series of rushed shots, Randazzo finished a 2-on-1 feed from Karlee Dickey, and Halie Dickey cashed in another steal for a streaking layup.
McIntyre fired back with a 3-pointer on the mark to match the largest separation at 45-40, and the Lady Comets were soon in a favorable position to increase it.
But Alton squandered four quality looks from inside of 5 feet over its next two possessions. Randazzo slashed the margin to one with her fifth triple off a kickout pass to the right wing.
Randazzo cited “staying calm, running our plays and getting the open shot” as main keys to success. “I knew [the seniors] would play selfless and pass the ball when they needed to so I could shoot. So I just trusted them,” she added.
Bismarck coaxed an errant perimeter shot following a timeout, then executed with arguably its greatest precision of the game. Halie Dickey dribbled past a high screen from Ashley Hawkins, and bounced to a cutting Karlee Dickey for a layup to lead 46-45 with 1:44 remaining.
Both teams still had three fouls to give at that juncture, and the Lady Comets were compelled to apply pressure after a difficult heave sailed long from the right corner.
Haney fouled out during the process, leaving Alton without a crucial weapon. Karlee Dickey went 1-of-4 at the stripe in the final 19 seconds, but Ashley Hawkins cleaned the glass for the final dagger.
“The main thing we had to do was box out. They were good, but we’ve played against big teams like that before,” said Hawkins, who also registered three blocks and three assists.
“Having extra people on the bench is helpful because you can have fresh legs at any part of the game,” she added. “Having only six or seven players just gasses you, but you have to find the drive to win.”
Free throws tilted decisively in favor of the Lady Indians, who converted 11-of-19. Alton made 2-of-4 in limited chances, but won the turnover margin 17-14.
The Bismarck defense was late to rotate on early layups by Reynolds and Trantham, but Karlee Dickey nailed a 3-pointer to break a 6-6 deadlock.
Reynolds knocked down a 17-footer, however, and Trantham caught a nice lob from Haney toward the opposite edge of the lane as Alton regained a 13-9 advantage.
Randazzo sank her second 3-pointer when Ashley Hawkins swatted a crowded rebound toward her, and two free throws by Ayla Hawkins flipped the lead back to the Lady Indians.
Halftime arrived all square at 21-21, and four more ties unfolded in the third quarter. Kinsey Hubbs, another multi-sport senior for Bismarck, made it 27-27 on a shot fake mid-range runner.
Ayla Hawkins stole a diagonal outlet pass later in the period, and Randazzo splashed a corner three off an extra pass from Halie Dickey at 32-29.
“Gracie has stepped up for us all year. She plays with a heart bigger than her body, and has no fear,” Blunt said. “She will go at the biggest player on the other team and take the biggest shots. Those early threes from her were huge when we couldn’t crack their defense.”
Reynolds calmly countered from long range. Haney compiled eight points, six rebounds and three assists, while Brayleigh Campbell provided three steals for Alton.
In addition to her starring role in the victory, Grace Randazzo helped her mother and assistant coach, Amanda Randazzo, apply her name to a district banner and complete a family milestone. Michael and Joey celebrated their respective baseball titles in 2003 and 2024.
“It’s very special,” Grace Randazzo said. “I’m so happy that me, my mom, my dad and my brother all got to have one.”