Bainville Girls Aim To Earn Honors During Basketball Season

After taking fourth place at last year’s Eastern C girls’ basketball divisional tournament, the Bainville Bulldogs are hunting for more success this campaign.

Bainville returns four starters including senior Elsie Wilson, senior Miah Pippenger, senior Tally Berwick and junior Hailey Berwick.

Wilson and H. Berwick were each All-State selections last season. Pippenger was voted to the All-Conference second team.

Other players with a good amount of varsity experience include junior Lila Butikofer, junior Addison Hansen and junior Chandi Johnson.

Coach Lance Berndt is pleased with the players but wishes he had a larger turnout than the 11 athletes. “We started with 11 last year too,” Berndt said. He is hoping that the addition of eighth-grade players in a few weeks will make longer JV games possible.

Strong points include the squad’s defensive effort. “We have very good guard play,” he said.

Rebounding has also been a strong point. The Bulldogs outrebounded their opponents in about 90 percent of their games last season.

“That’s one thing we did very well last season,” Berndt said, The team’s experience and his second year as the squad’s coach should be benefits.

Plentywood and Bainville were the district’s top two teams a season ago.

“I think the league will be interesting. I think it will be even almost from top to bottom,” Berndt said. “Some of the lower teams were young last year. It will be a battle each week.”

Bainville Girls’ Basketball Schedule

Dec. 6: Terry at Glasgow Invitational Dec. 14: South Heart at Watford City Tournament Dec. 20: MonDak Dec. 21: at Savage Jan. 3: at Richey/Lambert Jan. 4: at Lustre Christian Jan. 10: Plentywood Jan. 11: at Froid/Lake Jan. 17: at Culbertson Jan. 18: Brockton Jan. 24: at MonDak Jan. 25: Savage Jan. 31: Richey/Lambert Feb. 1: Lustre Christian Feb. 7: at Plentywood Feb. 8: Froid/Lake Feb. 14: Culbertson Feb. 15: at Brockton Feb. 19-22: District tournament (Sidney) March 5-8: Divisional tournament (Sidney: March 12-15: State tournament (Butte)