SECOND-HALF SURGE PUSHES ASSUMPTION GIRLS BASKETBALL PAST EDGAR IN D-5 SECTIONAL SEMIFINAL
By Paul Lecker
Zaleski Sports
MARSHFIELD – The Assumption girls basketball team stands one win away from a return trip to the state tournament after two big runs in the second half pushed the Royals to a 50-42 win over Edgar in an all-Marawood South WIAA Division 5 sectional semifinal Thursday night at Marshfield High School.
Assumption (25-3) will take on Wabeno/Laona (21-6) in a battle of No. 1 seeds in the Division 5 sectional final at 1 p.m. Saturday at D.C. Everest High School. The game will be broadcast live at zaleskisports.com.
The Royals, who won the Division 5 state championship a year ago, was on the ropes for a second-straight game as Edgar closed the first half strong to take a 21-18 lead into intermission.
Assumption led most of the first half, but never by more than six. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Leah Davis and Malia Hoesly in the final 1½ minutes of the half erased the advantage and put Edgar up by three at halftime.
Assumption stuck to its normal game plan: pressure, pressure and more pressure, and it paid off early in the second half.
After a basket by Reagan Borchardt 50 seconds into the half for Edgar, Assumption scored the next points in a flash.
Sarah Shaw scored a pair of fastbreak baskets off of turnovers, added a 3-pointer, and Ainara Sainz de Rozas drilled another long ball to put the Royals up 28-23 and they never trailed again.
“Converting off of our pressure, we got some points off of that, and we found a lineup against their zone that got us into some real good looks in the half court,” Assumption coach Ryan Klein said about the Royals’ surge. “We were able to be patient. We had the lead and without a shot clock…it’s not always pretty to watch, but it’s a good way to win a game.”
Hoesly hit another 3-pointer for Edgar to make it 30-28 with 11 minutes left, but the Wildcats went without a field goal for 8½ minutes and the Royals caught fire.
Assumption made 8 of 9 shots from the field in a nine-minute stretch to take control. Sainz de Rozas drilled consecutive 3-pointers to cap a 15-3 run that pushed the Royals’ lead to 45-31 with 4:50 left.
Edgar could get no closer than nine until a basket in the final seconds provided the final score.
Shaw finished with a game 20 points and Sainz de Rozas added 14 for the Royals.
Borchardt had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Davis had three 3-pointers and nine points for Edgar (20-8).
“We’re thankful for the opportunity, it’s good stuff,” Klein said.
Royals 50, Wildcats 42
Edgar 21 21 - 42
Assumption 18 32 - 50
EDGAR (42): Malia Hoesly 2-6 0-0 6, Reagan Borchardt 5-12 3-4 13, Olysta Baumann 0-1 0-0 0, Karlin Lipinski 0-4 0-0 0, Morgan Schnelle 1-2 2-2 4, Leah Davis 3-3 0-0 9, Amber Skrzypcak 0-1 0-0 0, Makayla Wirkus 4-5 2-2 10. FG: 15-34. FT: 7-8. 3-pointers: 5-8 (Davis 3-3, Hoesly 2-4, Lipinski 0-1). Rebounds: 21 (Borchardt 10). Turnovers: 31. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: none. Record: 20-8.
ASSUMPTION (50): Sarah Shaw 9-13 0-0 20, Ainara Sainz de Rozas 4-11 3-5 14, Addi Vollert 1-3 0-0 2, Kendall Duellman 1-1 0-0 2, Izzy Jungwirth 0-1 0-0 0, Kayla Kerkman 0-2 0-0 0, Cristin Casey 1-3 0-0 2, Anna Schooley 2-2 2-2 6, Maleia Kolo 2-4 0-0 4. FG: 20-40. FT: 5-7. 3-pointers: 5-12 (Sainz de Rozas 3-5, Shaw 2-4, Kerkman 0-1, Jungwirht 0-1, Vollert 0-1). Rebounds: 18 (Jungwirth 4). Turnovers: 23. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: none. Record: 25-3.