The Dakota Indians's game last Saturday was a tough loss, but they didn't let that memory haunt them on Thursday. They snuck past Durand with a 54-48 victory. That result was just more of the same for these two, as Dakota also won the last time the pair played back in February of 2023.
Dakota's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Finley Banks, who almost dropped a triple-double on ten points, nine rebounds, and nine steals. Another player making a difference was Hailey Kerchner, who scored 13 points along with four steals.
Dakota's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 8-12. As for Durand, they are on a four-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 5-9.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Dakota's road trip will continue as they head out to face Orangeville at 6:00 p.m. on January 17th. Orangeville's defense has only allowed 28.1 points per game this season, so Dakota's offense will have their work cut out for them. As for Durand, they will head out on the road to challenge Lutheran at 11:30 a.m. on Monday. Lutheran presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Durand in Illinois (Lutheran is ranked 128th, while Durand is ranked 516th).
