By 
Aberdeen Central hung with one of North Dakota’s top Class AA girls high school basketball teams, leading 15-13 after one quarter on Tuesday, Dec. 30.
But turnovers helped turn the tide as the Golden Eagles committed 24 during a 54-43 loss to Minot (N.D.) during the Buffalo Wild Wings Girls Basketball Classic at the Barnett Center.
It was the Eagles first loss of the year as they are now 4-1, while Minot is 6-0.
Aberdeen Central’s Kamdyn Borge takes a three-pointer in the third quarter during Central’s 54-43 loss to Minot (N.D.) Tuesday, Dec. 30 at Wachs Arena. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
Central head coach Paiton Burckhard said she visited with her team before the game about playing in the classic.
“We talked about how awesome an opportunity it was to play in the Barnett Center,” Burckhard said. “A lot of really great things happened here continue to happen — the boys State B tournament — and we wanted our girls to enjoy the moment and take advantage of playing here because it’s a cool thing to do and just a great event (coach) Paula Krueger and the Northern women’s basketball team put on.”
The Majettes took control in the second quarter, outscoring Central 16-7.
“I thought early we stayed composed and hit some shots and really felt like our passing was pretty good at the beginning. We just let the game slip away, and we kind of lost our energy. We were more worried about things we couldn’t control as opposed to things we could,” Burckhard said.
Kamdyn Borge scored seven of her 10 points in the first half and hit two of the Eagles six three-pointers.
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“Coming into (the game), myself and the guards knew we were going to have to step up and make some shots,” Borge said. “I was looking for my shot and was able to make a few. I thought we matched up pretty well with their guards, and we were able to make plays, we just didn’t make enough tonight.”
Burckhard said three-point shooting is key for the Golden Eagles and liked what saw in that regard, even in the loss.
Minot was able to get out in transition midway through the second quarter and went on an 8-2 run that gave the Majettes a 24-20 lead with just more than two minutes left. Six of those eight points were the result of Central turnovers.
The Majettes extended their man-to-man defense in the second half, getting in passing lanes, which led to a 6-3 run and a 35-25 lead with 5:38 left in the third quarter.
“There were times we took care of the ball and you saw we had success, but more times than not, especially in the second half, we didn’t and then they would score out of it,” Burckhard said. “We just kept digging a hole with turnover after turnover and couldn’t get our offense going to dig us out.”
University of Oklahoma commit slows Eagles
Minot’s 6-foot-3 senior post Alliyah “Leelee” Carlson Bell created problems. The University of Oklahoma commit finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and four blocks.
Central post Taryn Hermansen, who’s 6-1, said working in the lane was a tough task against Bell. Hermansen finished with seven points on just one of seven shots from the field.
Aberdeen Central’s Lauryn Burckhard takes a baseline jumper as Minot’s Kinley Bartsch closes out on defense during the third quarter of their game Tuesday, Dec. 30 at Wachs Arena. Burckhard had 17 points in a 54-43 Central loss. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
“It was different for sure, especially for me because in South Dakota there’s not a lot of bigs that you play against. Then you get to this game and you have a really big post who can move well and not only do I have to figure out how to play against her, but our team does as well. I don’t think we figured out how to play off of her or with her. I mean, she’s a really good player,” Hermansen said.
Burckhard said it’s easy to see why Bell will be playing college basketball in the Southeast Conference.
“She can hit threes and tonight you saw a lot of finishes near the rim that you don’t see from your typical high school athlete,” Burckhard said.
Lauryn Burckhard led the Eagles with 17 points.
Borge said the loss hurts, but playing a game against a quality team is something that should help the Eagles in the games to come.
“We knew this was a game where we could try and prove ourselves, and although we made way too many turnovers, I thought when we took care of the ball we played really well,” she said. “Knowing (Minot) was the No. 1 team in their class we knew we had to try and make them play our game. We did at times, but not enough, and I think this is going to light a fire under us and help us in our next few games, for sure.”
Central returns to action Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, when it hosts Yankton.
Groton Area’s Rylee Dunker drives and scores in the third quarter of Groton’s game against Lemmon Tuesday, Dec. 30 inside Wachs Arena. Dunker scored 11 points in a Groton 51-47 win. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
Defense powers Groton to win against Lemmon
Trailing Lemmon 20-14 at the end of the first quarter, Groton Area head coach Matt Locke said he had a very simple message for his team.
“I just told them that’s not how we play,” he said.
Taryn Traphagen takes a three-pointer during Groton Area’s game against Lemmon Tuesday, Dec. 30 in Wachs Arena. Traphagen had 18 points in a Groton 51-47 win. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
The Tigers responded by allowing just 27 points in the final three quarters and picking up a 51-47 victory in the Buffalo Wild Wings Girls Basketball Classic Tuesday, Dec. 30 at Wachs Arena.
“We knew we could play better defensively and we did. We were also able to score, which has been a little difficult for us,” Locke said. “I just think we had to calm ourselves after that first quarter and understand that they are a good team, but we needed to get back to playing team defense, which we were able to do.”
Part of that defensive effort came on the boards. Groton out-rebounded Lemmon 44-27 and allowed just four offensive rebounds. That allowed the Tigers to get out in transition.
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“When we rebound and get our running game going, or when we break a press and attack them with angles and bounce passes, we can get some easy buckets. Finally I think some things started to click a little bit for us. The girls haven’t been playing as well as they want, and I really think they saw what they are capable of against a very good team,” Locke said.
Taryn Traphagen led the Tigers with a game-high 18 points. The first of her two three-pointers came after she shot an airball from behind the stripe. Jaedyn Penning grabbed the miss, and Traphagen found herself open on the wing and sank the triple. That gave Groton a 34-31 lead with 3:27 to go in the third quarter.
“Honestly (the airball) felt good when I shot it, then I realized, ‘Oh shoot, I didn’t use my legs,’ but I wanted the ball back because I was hungry for more, and the next one, yeah, I kinda knew that one was going in,” Traphagen said.
A win against a team receiving votes in the Class A girls basketball poll should help moving forward, she said.
“We struggle putting the ball in the right places sometimes on the press and seeing some things open up and making the right passes really helped us make shots,” Traphagen said. “We have a harder schedule coming up, so I think we really needed this win. I think this was the best we played as a team so far this season and should help us the rest of the way.”
Groton hosts Vermillion Friday Jan. 2, 2026.
Buffalo Wild Wings Girls Basketball Classic
Tuesday, Dec. 30
Barnett Center, Northern State University
- Langford Area 51, Lead-Deadwood 36
- Parker/Marion 46, Leola/Frederick 31
- Florence/Henry 47, Herreid/Selby Area 45
- Groton Area 51, Lemmon 47
- Central Cass (N.D.) 54, Northwestern 15
- Hamlin 51, Mobridge-Pollock 47
- Minot N.D. 54, Aberdeen Central 43
Tuesday, Dec. 30
- Paytyn Marlow’s 20 points helped boost Langford to a 51-36 victory against Lead-Deadood. Alexandria Darling added 14 points for the Lions, who outscored the Bears 19-9 in the third quarter.
- Central Cass (N.D.) rolled to a 24-7 halftime lead in downing Northwestern 54-15. Kenley Haug led three Squirrels in double figures with 14 points.
- Parker/Marion used a balanced attack and pulled away from Leola/Frederick in the second half to earn a 46-31 victory. Arabella Clark’s game-high 14 points led the Titans.
