Arlee girls win twice

ST. REGIS — The Arlee girls’ basketball team is getting used to playing on the road. The Scarlets will play six home games while traveling for 12.

“That should toughen us up by the tournaments,” head coach Richard Bachmeier said.

Last Friday, Arlee played its first away game in St. Regis. The Scarlets play four of their first five games in opponent’s gyms.

Against the Tigers, Arlee found itself down by two at the half, but came back in the second for a 49-36 win.

Bachmeier said Arlee ran its offense better in the second half, and boasting  momentum in the Scarlets’ favor.

“We got the ball inside and hit some threes,” he said.

Kayla Desjarlais helped the cause when she hit three 3-pointers in the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth.

“It was a boost for us offensively,” Bachmeier said.

Melissa Ivanoff led Arlee with 16 points and Mahalia Hendren added 13.

Bachmeier said a big factor was keeping tabs on St. Regis’ top scorer.

“Chelsea Allaire did a good job on defense,” he said.

Arlee kept the defense up last Saturday against Lincoln, winning 47-32.

The Scarlets were ahead 23-21 at the half but “got away from [Lincoln] late in the third quarter,” Bachmeier said.

“We came with a press late in the third and that was a difference in the game,” he said.

The Scarlets switched their defense in the second half from man-to-man to a zone defense and the players responded.

“When we switched over, we picked up intensity,” Bachmeier said. “It seemed like what we needed at the time.”

The two wins pleased Bachmeier at this point in the season.

“We’re not blowing anyone out,” he said. “But we are getting there.”

The Scarlets are off for the holidays but travel to Superior Jan. 2.