Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Addie Lentsch of Fort Dodge tries to score on Thursday against Storm Lake in the Dodger gym.

Sometimes, basketball is truly as simple as finding a way to put the ball through the net.

The Fort Dodge girls couldn’t get anything to drop against Storm Lake here on Thursday, as their frigid ways from the floor led to a 52-29 victory for the visiting Tornadoes.

Head coach Scott Messerly’s squad seemed perplexed by Storm Lake’s 2-3 zone. The Dodgers (6-13 overall) missed all but three of their 26 shots from behind the arc and weren’t much better from close range, finishing 11-for-54 overall in dropping their fourth straight decision.

“If you can’t score, it makes it really tough to find ways to win. And we’re in a tough spell right now (offensively),” admitted Messerly. “There’s a difference between shooting the ball with confidence and just hoping it goes in. Too often, we’re (the latter).

“We’ve been under 40 points every time (during this four-game slide). When you’re at (31, 34, 36 and 29 points in consecutive losses to Marshalltown, Mason City, Ames and Storm Lake), that’s just not going to get the job done.”

Senior LJ Maehl led Fort Dodge with 15 points, but it took 21 field goal attempts to get there. Freshman Brooklyn Gilliland added nine, making three of her five triple tries.

Gilliland’s teammates, though, were a combined 0-for-21 from distance.

Storm Lake seniors Avery DeHaan and Grace Kenkel were virtually a two-player show in the victory. DeHaan, a Northwestern College recruit, had a game-high 22 points. Kenkel, who is headed to Dakota Wesleyan, added 19.

The duo averages a combined 30 points a night for the Tornadoes, who evened their season record at 9-9.

Fort Dodge got an emotional boost from the return of Maddie Hoshaw, a junior who suffered a severe knee injury in early January of 2025 and was forced to miss track, softball, volleyball and most of basketball while recovering. Hoshaw, who averaged 4.9 points and 5.3 rebounds as a starter a year ago, will be limited in her minutes moving forward.

Maehl grabbed 10 rebounds for the Dodgers, inching her closer to Molly Nelson for the program’s all-time five-player record. The future Northwest Missouri State Bearcat now has 659 boards in her four-year career, with Nelson at 681.

Maehl also played in her 85th game in an FDSH uniform last night, which is behind only Justice Crooks (91), Morgan Paulson (89) and Nelson (87) on the girls hoop charts.

The Dodgers return to action on Friday in their home finale against Des Moines North. It will be Senior Night for Maehl, the lone Fort Dodge 12th-grader on the roster.

Varsity tip is again set for 6:15 p.m.

STORM LAKE 52,

FORT DODGE 29

Storm Lake — Avery DeHaan 7-18 5-7 22, Grace Kenkel 7-9 5-9 19, Cole Richardson 2-5 0-0 6, Reagan DeHaan 2-6 0-2 5, Dikaia Dahlhauser 0-2 0-0, Paiwune Ochalla 0-2 0-0 0, Macy Bodholdt 0-4 0-0 0, Naunie Mahavong 0-0 0-0 0, Shauntease Esco 0-0 0-0 0, Lola Banks 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-46 10-18 52.

Fort Dodge — LJ Maehl 6-21 3-4 15, Brooklyn Gilliland 3-5 0-0 9, Malay Hollins 0-4 0-0 0, Ellie Doster 0-5 0-0 0, Grace Nichols 0-0 0-0 0, Addie Lentsch 2-6 0-2 4, Charlotte Breeser 0-1 1-2 1, Linnie Pratt 0-2 0-0 0, Maddie Hoshaw 0-1 0-0 0, Bella Lee 0-2 0-0 0, Macy Wills 0-2 0-0 0, Emma Lloyd 0-4 0-0 0, Adele Selz 0-1 0-0 0, Rylan Hewett 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 11-54 4-8 29.

Quarter scores: Storm Lake led 7-4, 21-12, 44-22. Three-point goals: Storm Lake 6-20 (A. DeHaan 3-8, Richardson 2-5, R. DeHaan 1-3, Dahlhauser 0-1, Bodholdt 0-3); Fort Dodge 3-26 (Gilliland 3-5, Maehl 0-7, Doster 0-5, Lentsch 0-3, Lee 0-2, Hollins 0-1, Pratt 0-1, Lloyd 0-1, Wills 0-1). Turnovers: Storm Lake 14, Fort Dodge 15. Total fouls: Storm Lake 9, Fort Dodge 12.