Rock scored 21 points and Borchardt posted 16 points to lead Niagara to its sixth win in seven games to start the season.

“We’ve got work to do,” Niagara coach Karl Lamoreaux said. “We can improve on the press break and we can improve at the free throw line, but overall, I’m really happy with the victory. That’s a good team we played against, so I’m pretty satisfied.”

Borchardt got the Lady Badgers going, hitting three straight shots out of the chute. And after she assisted on a hoop by senior post Bailey Pearson, Niagara held a quick 8-2 lead.

Borchardt shoots a jump shot when she penetrates into the lane, something not often seen as the prep level in girls basketball.

Niagara junior Morgan Borchardt (13) stops a Suring defender in her tracks as she sets a screen for teammate Abigail Wells (12) in order to relieve some of the ball pressure on Suring’s defense. In addition to applying some physical play, Borchardt scored 16 points in the win.

“She can pull up and shoot a jumper” Lamoreaux said of the muscular lefty. “She has a beautiful jump shot.”

Soon after, junior guard Abigail Wells knocked down consecutive hoops and freshman Mallory Sanicki buried a 3-pointer to give the Lady Badgers a 21-9 lead. But the Eagles outscored Niagara 21-13 over the final six minutes of the half to slice their deficit to 34-30 at the break.

Suring made that comeback by slapping a 2-2-1 fullcourt press on Niagara and forcing 14 turnovers in the opening 18 minutes. In all, the Lady Badgers committed 27 ball-handling miscues in the game.

“It’s the first time that we’ve been pressed all year, because we’re typically a pressing team and teams don’t press because maybe they think we practice against the press all the time,” Lamoreaux said. “Which we do. But they have a pretty good press.”

The pattern of building a sizable lead only to see Suring fight back happened again in the second half. Niagara went on a 13-2 run about midway through the second half to increase its advantage to 56-39. Borchardt scored seven points during that stretch and Sanicki had five.

Suring answered with a 13-0 surge, keyed by junior Christine Sleeter’s six points, to cut Niagara’s lead to 56-52, but the Lady Badgers fought off the Eagles’ final push to record the win.

“What these girls do, and they’ve done it all season, is they just wear teams down,” Lamoreaux said. “We’re athletic, we’re not the most talented basketball team in the world, but we are one of the most athletic and they work hard and we’ve got kids who can score.”

Jerry DeRoche can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 247, or at jderoche @ironmountaindailynews.com