Girls Basketball 2025: Strong defense helps Alexandria Area get past DeLaSalle

Alexandria Area fans chanted “DE-FENSE” late in Wednesday’s Girls Basketball State Tournament Class AAA quarterfinal game against DeLaSalle. It sounded like helpful motivation, but their team might not have needed the reminder. 

The No. 5 seed Cardinals stifled No. 4 DeLaSalle throughout a 60-40 win at Maturi Pavilion on the University of Minnesota campus, limiting the Islanders to 26.9 percent shooting from the field. 

Last year’s Cardinals gave up 47 first-half points in an 82-69 state semifinal loss to the Islanders. This year, DeLaSalle (24-6) never got to 47 in the game as the Cardinals (25-4) steadily pulled away.  

Alexandria’s Hadley Thul stood out with her height and versatile skill set, totaling an 18-point, 17-rebound double-double. She broke free to receive a full-court inbounds pass and convert a layup at the buzzer that put Alexandria Area up 32-22 at the half. 

Chloe Scholl added 17 points, Allie Haabala 15. All three seniors are among the five returning starters from last year’s Alexandria team. Aneshia Scott was among three returning DeLaSalle starters, but Alexandria held her to a team-high 11 points, 18 fewer than in this matchup a year ago.

Up next: Alexandria Area meets No. 1 Benilde-St. Margaret’s in a semifinal game at Williams Arena at noon Thursday. DeLaSalle faces Stewartville in a consolation game at Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul at 2 p.m. Thursday.