By Michael S. Hoey
CORRESPONDENT
The Lake Geneva Badger girls’ basketball team fell to tenth-ranked Janesville Parker 56-36 in a WIAA Regional Final at Parker Saturday night in a physical game that allowed the bigger Vikings to take advantage of their size and athleticism.
“If you are going to get beat you want to get beat by someone real good,” Coach David Jooss said. “Janesville Parker is a real good
team.”
Parker (21-3) erupted for 52 points in the first half alone the previous night in dispatching Burlington 85-42. The Vikings came out on fire offensively against the Badgers as well scoring their first basket on a breakaway layup off the opening tip. Parker never relinquished that lead and led by as many as 22.
“They spread it out and their size makes it difficult to pressure them,” Jooss said. Whenever the Badgers would help out and try to trap on defense the Vikings would pass over the top of the trap and find the open player.
“They are very balanced,” Jooss said. “You can’t leave anyone open because they will find the open shooter and are very unselfish. They make the extra pass.”
The Vikings blitzed the Badgers in the first quarter with an 11-2 run to start the game. Badger cut the lead to 11-6 on two free throws by Tristan Sproul and a basket by Andrea Chironis, but Parker pushed the lead back to nine with two baskets from Paige Smith.
A three-pointer by Taylar Keenan, two more free throws by Sproul, and a basket by Karina Reeves brought the Badgers back to 17-11 only to have Jessica Thompson hit a three-pointer and push the lead back to nine. The teams traded baskets and the quarter ended with Parker leading 22-13.
The Badger defense improved in the second quarter as Parker scored only 14, but the Badgers struggled to keep pace on offense as they failed to score a single basket. Four free throws by Reeves accounted for all of Badger’s points as the Vikings led at the half 36-17.
Badger came out in the second half in their full court press and used it the rest of the game to try to claw their way back in. Parker scored the first basket of the third quarter but Badger battled the lead down to 15 with the help of a three by Stephanie Espinosa and three free throws by Reeves and Jaclyn Teuting.
The Vikings responded with another big three-pointer, this time by Jackie Shepler. A basket by Smith and two free throws by Morgan McCulloch gave the Vikings their biggest lead at 22. A three by Reeves cut the lead back under 20 at the end of the third quarter.
Badger had a 6-0 run early in the fourth quarter, but that was as far as the comeback could get. Parker responded and kept the lead near 20 the rest of the way.
Jooss was proud his team played the Vikings evenly in the second half.
“We didn’t make a lot of adjustments, we just ran our defense better,” he said. “We got better position.”
Jooss said Reeves was bothered by a bone bruise to her knee suffered with just over three minutes left to play Friday night against Kenosha Tremper.
“She’s a tough kid and she battled,” Jooss said.
Despite the injury, Reeves led Badger (16-8, 11-3 Southern Lakes Conference) with 13 points. Keenan added nine. Dani Fugate led Parker with 17. Ashley Hartwig added 16 and Morgan McCulloch had 11.
Jooss said he was very proud of his team. They put together back to back 16-win seasons and went 22-6 in the SLC in that time.
“They have a lot to be proud of,” Jooss said.
Badgers beat Tremper in semifinal
The Badgers beat Kenosha Tremper (9-15) 37-25 on Friday night to earn the right to face Parker in the Regional Championship game.
Badger led wire to wire and played solid enough defense that the Trojans often struggled to score. Badger also struggled at times and led after one quarter just 6-1. The Badgers warmed up a bit in the second quarter managing 11 points and taking a 17-9 lead into halftime. The Badger defense forced Tremper into nine first half turnovers.
Both teams had their best offensive quarters in the third frame with 12 points apiece. Badger came out strong and increased their lead to 12 but Tremper used a 6-0 run to make it 22-15. A three pointer by Keenan put the lead back at 10. Tremper answered with a three by Kurstyn Gordon to make it 25-19. Badger went on to lead 29-21 heading into the fourth quarter.
Badger quickly pulled away in the fourth quarter increasing its lead to 35-21 before losing Reeves for the night to her knee injury. Badger also battled through foul trouble as both Espinosa and Sproul picked up their fourth fouls.
Reeves led Badger with 11 and Keenan added 10. Nwoye Green led Tremper with nine.
