Basketball Recap: Mahpiya Luta Picks Up 16th Consecutive Win

Crusaders

Previous Games

02/08/25 vs Lead-Deadwood	84-19
02/04/25 @ Rapid City Christian	71-42
01/31/25 @ Sturgis Brown	69-31
01/28/25 @ Pine Ridge	82-41
01/25/25 vs Belle Fourche	62-37
+ 11 more games

Mahpiya Luta put another one in the bag on Saturday to keep their perfect season alive. They blew past the Lead-Deadwood Golddiggers 84-19. Given the Crusaders' advantage in MaxPreps' South Dakota basketball rankings (they are ranked sixth, while the Golddiggers are ranked 144th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Mahpiya Luta to victory, but perhaps none more so than Dorthie Mesteth, who dropped a double-double on 20 points and ten steals. Those ten steals gave Mesteth a new career-high. Ashlan Carlow-Blount was another key player, going 9 of 12 en route to 18 points along with eight assists and six steals.

Mahpiya Luta pushed their record up to 16-0 with the win, which was their 16th straight at home dating back to last season. Those victories came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 29.1 points over those games. As for Lead-Deadwood, they are on a four-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 3-15.

Looking ahead, Mahpiya Luta will head out on the road to face off against St. Thomas More at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. St. Thomas More will roll in looking for their fourth straight victory, something Mahpiya Luta surely won't give up without a fight. As for Lead-Deadwood, they will welcome Bison at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Lead-Deadwood is facing Bison at the right time seeing as Bison is stuck on a five-game losing streak.