The Hampton-Dumont-CAL basketball teams host Humboldt for a North Central Conference doubleheader Tuesday.
The #13 (3A) Bulldog girls (15-1, 7-1 NCC) will go for their sixth straight win, with some low-scoring games in the last two weeks. Head Coach Miranda Stafford says learning how to play without feeling pressure has been an important factor lately.
“I thought that after the Algona loss, we came out really tight,” Stafford says. “Like, oh no, don’t let it unravel against Crestwood. We played not like ourselves. And then we’re able to come away with a win. So I think it helped them to play like that and still get a win and understand, don’t make this more than what it is. Enjoy what you’re doing. Every game is a moment to enjoy. Enjoy being with your teammates. So I’m proud of them and the way that they’ve kind of released some of that pressure, and they’re back to enjoying playing basketball.”
Coming off a 59-36 win over Webster City, Humboldt (9-7, 4-2 NCC) will go for consecutive wins after alternating their last five results. Morgan Mann paces the Wildcats with a league-leading 16.4 points per game.
The Bulldog boys (3-11, 1-7 NCC) will look to snap a six-game losing streak against a sizzling Humboldt team. The Wildcats (10-4, 7-1 NCC) have won eight straight, a streak in which they’ve scored 80 or more points four times. Hampton-Dumont-CAL coach Brian Niesen.
“They play really fast, and they want to get up and down,” Hampton-Dumont-CAL coach Brian Niesen says. “That’s a game where live ball turnovers can really hurt you. So decision making, getting back on defense, they hurt us in transition the first game. If we can limit the live ball turnovers and take good shots, that’ll help us get back on defense. That’s going to be a huge key on Tuesday night for us.”
The doubleheader will start at 6:15 p.m.
