Basketball Recap: Samantha Pilarski Key Part of Team Effort in Cardinals Win

Bertha-Hewitt typically has all the answers at home, but on Thursday Upsala proved too difficult a challenge. They walked away with a 64-55 win over the Bertha-Hewitt Bears. The Cardinals' offense checked out after the first half but had enough points banked to take the game anyway.

Upsala's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Samantha Pilarski, who almost dropped a double-double with 14 points and nine boards. Another player making a difference was Zoey Leners, who dropped a double-double with 12 points and 16 rebounds.

Cardinals

Previous 4 Games

02/20/25 @ Bertha-Hewitt	64-55
02/18/25 @ Melrose	50-49
02/15/25 vs Pine River-Backus	52-51
02/13/25 @ Benson	60-44

Upsala smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 11 offensive rebounds in nine consecutive matches.

Upsala's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 17-8. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 58.0 points over those games. As for Bertha-Hewitt, they are on a three-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 21-8.

Upsala wasted no time getting back out on the court and has already played their next game, a 49-38 loss against Osakis on the 21st. Bertha-Hewitt does not have any more games scheduled as of now.