Coach credits 68-47 win to girls’ ability to put pressure on opponents
By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
When the Big Foot girls basketball team is clicking, the Chiefs push the pace on both ends of the floor and make their opposition uncomfortable.
And that certainly was the case last week for host Jefferson – the Eagles never felt comfortable.
Big Foot dictated the tempo, jumped out to a 30-20 halftime lead and never looked back in a 68-47 victory. The win improved the Chiefs to 2-2 overall and 2-1 in the Rock Valley Conference heading into a road contest Thursday night at defending WIAA Division 3 state champion Whitewater.
Results of that matchup with the Whippets were unavailable at press time.
“We always start with full-court pressure and make the other team work to bring it up,” Big Foot coach Rick Schoenbeck said. “Most teams make mistakes under pressure, and we capitalize with easy scores off of the steals.
“We are averaging 18 steals per game. We play straight up on (the) ball and deny the passing lanes. With our length and speed, it becomes hard to move the ball in a half-court trapping game.”
Schoenbeck said the first half also was helped by his team’s ability to knock down shots – led by Payton Courier.
“She is unique because she draws most big girls out because she is an excellent mid-range shooter, she can drive well off the dribble, sees the floor well and supplies high-quality passes to assist in the scoring.”
Big Foot added to its lead in the second half, but Schoenbeck said the game could have been put away even sooner if his team didn’t struggle to protect the basketball.
“We let Jefferson stick around because of the turnovers,” he said. “We were careless with the basketball and had five turnovers, which led to scores on the other end.”
Zanzie Demco led the offensive attack in the second half with three field goals, three rebounds and three steals. Schoenbeck said Brooke Wellhausen also had a key role the final 18 minutes.
“She is starting to make big contributions to the team,” he said.
Morgan Courier led a balanced scoring attack with 16 points and nine rebounds, followed by Olivia Briggs with 12 points, six rebounds and four steals; Wellhausen with 12 points and five rebounds; Courtney Schoenbeck with 10 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, five steals and three blocks; Carly Snudden with five rebounds and Demco with four steals.
The balanced attack can only help the Chiefs moving forward, Schoenbeck said.
“With four kids in double digits, who are you going to stop is what the other team has to say, and it becomes tough for them,” he said. “I really feel we can have six girls in double figures each night as our shooting improves.”
Big Foot converted 45 percent of its field-goal attempts, the first time it surpassed the 40-percent mark this year, Schoenbeck said.
Another highlight came from Courtney Schoenbeck, whose stat line showed plenty of contributions in a number of areas.
“This was her third double double (points and rebounds) in a row,” her father said. “He is feeling much more comfortable this year. The more she plays in a game, the more productive she is.”
Whippets a big challenge
Schoenbeck said his team looked forward to Thursday’s contest with the Whippets, who were undefeated en route to the state title last year.
Entering play this week, Whitewater’s only blemish was a loss to Stoughton en route to a 6-1 record.
“Being ranked fourth right now in Division 3 in the state, they will be a challenge,” Schoenbeck said. “As I tell my girls, we can play with any team on any night.
“We are improving game by game. … How well will they handle our defensive pressure could also be a factor. What I know is it should be a really fun game to watch with fast, competitive basketball.”
Big Foot closes its week Saturday at Woodstock (Ill.) before it returns to RVC action Tuesday, Dec. 15, at Clinton.
