Poplar Girls Drop League Contest Against Malta

In a contest involving two District 2B contenders, Malta edged Poplar by a 51-42 final in girls’ basketball action on Friday, Jan. 19.

The Indians trailed by a 28-20 half-time margin. A three-pointer by Cammie Martell kept the Indians close at 31-23 early in the third quarter.

Malta then ran off 10 straight points, including three-pointers by Kendall Clausen and Kelbie Nelson, to grab a 41-23 advantage.

Poplar fought back on a pair of free throws by Mattie Falls Down, a drive by Sadee Archambeault and a basket by C. Martell off a pass from Falls Down to pull to 43-31. The Indians trailed 45-31 at the end of the third quarter.

Two hoops by Falls Down, including one off a steal by C. Martell, got the Indians as close as 49-40 with 2:24 remaining.

Malta, however, scored the next two points on free tosses by Nelson and Neva Jacobson for a 51-40 lead with only 17 seconds remaining.

Leading Poplar’s attack were C. Martell with 19 and Falls Down with 10 points.

Also scoring were Riki Belton with four, Archambeault with four, Braelyn Nordwick with three, Emma Martell with one and Kessee Erickson with one.

Top scorers for Malta were Jacobsen with 11, Clausen with 10 and Denvyr Tuss with nine points.

C. Martell hit three three-pointers in the first quarter, but the M-ettes led 15-10 at the end of the period.