Seldom do paybacks take this measure.

Aberdeen Roncalli came out prepared, energized and motivated on the way to a 46-16 Region 1A girls’ basketball win over Milbank at Roncalli Gym Thursday night.

The contest was never in doubt after the first quarter as the Cavaliers scored 23 unanswered points on the way to avenging a setback to Milbank on the same floor just a few weeks ago.

“We had five days to prep. They paid off a lot,” said Roncalli coach Derek Larson, explaining the difference between the two games. “Energy level tonight was a lot different than the last time we played them. I thought physicality was on our side tonight. We didn’t get that second half last time we played them, either.”

It didn’t take long to see that the Cavaliers brought their ‘A’ game in the rematch.

“You could tell from the start. Roncalli really took it to us. They were physical with us,” said Milbank coach Brian Pauli. “We got outrebounded right away. There were 3 or 4 possessions they scored, but it was their second opportunity because they got the offensive rebound. It wasn’t the night we drew up or wished for, but credit to Roncalli. They really took it to us.”

There was one possession that defined the ways things went for both teams and it came in the second quarter when Roncalli ran a play for Claire Crawford. The pass deflected off a Bulldog, Crawford eventually got control of the ball, shot it out of rhythm and nailed a three-point field goal.

“They skipped it across the top, it almost hit my girl in the head,” Crawford said. “Somehow I tipped it, bounced it through my legs, shot it up and it went in. That’s when you know you’re shooting good.”

Larson said that moment pretty much summed up how the entire contest played out.

“They knew what set was coming. They almost picked it off. It went throught their hands and it goes into Claire’s hands. She hits a big three,” Larson said. “You kind of knew at that point that things were going our way. They knew what was coming, they probably should have had a layup on the other end, and we score a three off of it.”

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs could not get anything going offensively, managing just two points in each of the second and third quarters.

“They were really on us defensively. They weren’t letting us do anything,” said Milbank senior Tyra Berry. “We weren’t doing the right cut. We just couldn’t get anything and that led to turnovers, and they were getting easy baskets on the other end.”

A big factor was the play of Roncalli freshman Gabby Thomas, who picked off multiple passes that she turned into transition baskets on the other end.

“Our coaches prepare us really well,” Thomas said. “I have to find a way to read how the screen’s coming, and watch the ball, and find the pass before they do.”

It wasn’t the first time this season that Thomas has foiled a foe’s strategy by darting into passing lanes to pick off passes. She has become a force for Roncalli’s defense.

“She’s probably one of the more athletic kids we’ve had,” Larson said. “Just has a kind of nose for the ball. Just a knack of getting in the passing lanes. I’m glad she’s on our team.”

Another key to the contest was the defensive effort by Crawford on Milbank standout Isabella Anderson, holding her to five points as the Cavaliers steadily pulled away.

“She’s good. She’s their best guard,” Crawford said. “That’s why we had to face guard her. I took pride in preparing for that all week.”

Add it all together and it led to a big measure of revenge for Roncalli in its biggest game of the season so far.

“We definitely came out way stronger,” Thomas said of the difference between the two games. “We were way, way, way more prepared this time. We were ready.”

There was no denying that from either side after the contest.

“I think they just came out a lot more aggressive and they really wanted it,” Berry said. “They were the better team tonight.”

The setback ended the season for the Bulldogs, who played well down the stretch.

“There’s a lot to be proud of,” said Berry, who led Milbank with seven points. “We did good at the end of the season, it’s just sad that we had to end on this one.”

Ava Hanson lead a balanced Roncalli attack with 12 points. Crawford finished with 10, Maddie Huber and Thomas each added eight, and Rylee Voeller contributed seven.

The Cavaliers, 16-5, will take on Mount Vernon-Plankinton in the SoDak 16 on Thursday, in a rematch of last year’s SoDak 16 encounter.

“Really happy for our kids to be at this point,” Larson said. “To beat a team that we lost to earlier in the year, and probably didn’t give our best effort, especially the second half, it feels good, especially for the kids to give this effort that we did tonight.”

MILBANK (13-9): Isabella Anderson 2 1-2 5, Tyra Berry 2 2-4 7, Claire Snaza 0 0-2 0, Belle Pauli 2 0-0 4. Totals 6-44 3-8 16.

ABERDEEN RONCALLI (16-5): McKenna O’Keefe 0 1-2 1, Maddie Huber 3 2-4 8, Claire Crawford 4 0-0 10, Rylee Voeller 3 0-0 7, Ava Hanson 5 0-0 12, Gabby Thomas 4 0-2 8. Totals 19-45 3-8 46.

Milbank 7 9 11 16

Aberdeen Roncalli 13 33 44 46

3-point field goals – Berry; Crawford 2, Voeller, Hanson 2. Total fouls – Milbank 9; Aberdeen Roncalli 11. Rebounds – Milbank 25 (Pauli 8); Aberdeen Roncalli 33 (Thomas 8). Turnovers – Milbank 13; Aberdeen Roncalli 5.