Knafel's Shot Lifts Lady Warriors
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
After seeing Whitko junior Micaela Sylvester give her team a 67-66 lead with 29 seconds remaining, Wawasee sophomore KiLee Knafel responded by hitting a game-winning bucket with 1.8 seconds remaining in a 68-67 victory at Wawasee High School.[[In-content Ad]]"Honestly, I'm sick of learning experiences," Whitko coach Rob Bell said. "These kids, they need these wins. It's an attitude, it's a determination, it's a desire. Our time is winding down here, and we need to get it fixed. We've got to fix the little things."
The loss saw the Whitko Lady Wildcats (8-9) force 24 turnovers, and Sylvester had one of her best games ever, with 29 points, four steals and three assists. On top of her stats, she caused the Wawasee Lady Warriors (11-4) defensive fits, getting into the lane, shooting 18 free throws in the process.
"We hadn't seen her play like that," Wawasee coach Kem Zolman said about Sylvester. "To see that, then see how we may deal with that next time, there's strategy things that are going to need to happen."
While Sylvester was a pain for the Wawasee defense, Knafel was an even bigger one for Whitko, as she scored 34 points on 13-of-19 shooting, 3 of 4 from behind the three-point line.
"She was just shooting lights out, and their other kids stepped up and hit some big shots and big times too," Bell said. "We held Knafel for a little while there, but their other kids stepped up."
In the first quarter, it was Knafel and senior Jonna Wiggs hitting for Wawasee, as Knafel netted 11 in the opening eight minutes and Wiggs scored six.
"It was good to see her get off to a good start, because she's kind of been second-guessing herself," Zolman said about Knafel, who also had nine rebounds. "Seeing her come out and hit those first couple shots is going to get her into a good psyche."
The hot-shooting by Knafel and Wiggs helped Wawasee build a 19-7 lead in the first quarter, but Whitko proved they wouldn't go silently into the night.
The Lady Wildcats routinely made runs at the Lady Warriors, but each time they did so, Wawasee had a response.
"I'm proud of their effort, but we just can't keep digging these holes," Bell said. "If we come out and play with the intensity we played with in the final three quarters, this is probably a whole different ball game."
Late in the third quarter, Sylvester gave Whitko its first lead a 46-45 with 1:05 remaining, but Wawasee closed the quarter out on a 5-0 run.
The last two points of the quarter came when Wiggs in-bounded the ball from underneath her own basket, with one second remaining, to senior Amy Walker at the Wawasee free-throw line. After catching the ball, Walker took one dribble and swished a shot, that would prove to be pretty decisive.
"I'm glad we got that," Zolman said about the quarter-ending bucket.
The fourth quarter saw Wawasee build its lead to as much as eight on three separate occassions, the last coming after Knafel hit a shot with 2:53 remaining.
But just as they'd done all game long, the Lady Wildcats came storming back, thanks in-large part to six Lady Warrior turnovers in the quarter.
"To turn the ball over as many times as we do, giving the opponent extra possessions, and still come out on top - (you have to be mentally strong)," Zolman said.
Along with the turnovers, Zolman also saw his girls take some ill-advised shots in the final 1:30 of the game, clining to a 66-65 lead.
"We're young enough to be foolish and old enough to be dangerous," Zolman said. "Sometimes, that foolishness comes out, which we just can't have."
Despite losing the turnover battle 24-9, the Lady Warriors did outrebound Whitko 41-30, which helped in the end.
"It's cleanup time," Zolman said. "It's not re-evaluate time. That's what we're emphasizing now."
Wawasee hosts Plymouth in Northern Lakes Conference play Saturday, while Whitko also returns to conference action Saturday, traveling to Northfield for a Three Rivers Conference contest.
WAWASEE 68, WHITKO 67
Wh 13 13 20 21 - 67
Wa 19 12 20 17 - 68
Wawasee - Kalyn McDaniel 3-6 3-4 11, Amy Walker 3-5 2-5 8, KiLee Knafel 13-19 5-8 34, Kiley Cooper 2-7 3-6 7, Jonna Wiggs 3-8 0-0 8, Alexis Blunk 0-1 0-0 0, Kiley Norris 0-0 0-0 0, Kasey Napier 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-47 13-23 68.
Whitko - Karissa Olinske 6-17 3-7 18, Micaela Sylvester 9-18 11-15 29, Nicole Slaymaker 2-4 0-0 4, Katee Reiff 2-6 0-0 4, Rachelle Kessie 2-5 2-2 6, Cagney Craig 1-6 0-0 2, Josie Sparks 0-0 0-0 0, Cassie Jones 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 24-59 16-24 67.
Three-point goals - Wawasee 7-15 (Knafel 3, McDaniel 2, Wiggs 2), Whitko 3-19 (Olinske 3); Team Fouls (fouled out) - Wawasee 18 (Cooper), Whitko 21 (Kessie, Jones); Turnovers - Wawasee 24, Whitko 9; Rebounds - Wawasee 41 (Wiggs 12), Whitko 30 (Slaymaker 7); Assists - Wawasee 21 (Wiggs 8), Whitko 17 (Reiff 5); Steals - Wawasee 6 (Walker 5), Whitko 17 (Olinske 7); Blocks - Wawasee 2 (Cooper 2), Whitko 0; Records: Wawasee 11-4, Whitko 8-9
JV - Whitko 23, Wawasee 19
Whitko - Sparks 5, Sydney Sims 4, Melanie Kelsey 4, Jones 4, Kelley Reiff 2, Abby Alberding 2, Holly Frantz 2
Wawasee - Megan Grindle 6, Napier 5, Courtney Crabtree 4, Norris 2, Alex Fox 2
After seeing Whitko junior Micaela Sylvester give her team a 67-66 lead with 29 seconds remaining, Wawasee sophomore KiLee Knafel responded by hitting a game-winning bucket with 1.8 seconds remaining in a 68-67 victory at Wawasee High School.[[In-content Ad]]"Honestly, I'm sick of learning experiences," Whitko coach Rob Bell said. "These kids, they need these wins. It's an attitude, it's a determination, it's a desire. Our time is winding down here, and we need to get it fixed. We've got to fix the little things."
The loss saw the Whitko Lady Wildcats (8-9) force 24 turnovers, and Sylvester had one of her best games ever, with 29 points, four steals and three assists. On top of her stats, she caused the Wawasee Lady Warriors (11-4) defensive fits, getting into the lane, shooting 18 free throws in the process.
"We hadn't seen her play like that," Wawasee coach Kem Zolman said about Sylvester. "To see that, then see how we may deal with that next time, there's strategy things that are going to need to happen."
While Sylvester was a pain for the Wawasee defense, Knafel was an even bigger one for Whitko, as she scored 34 points on 13-of-19 shooting, 3 of 4 from behind the three-point line.
"She was just shooting lights out, and their other kids stepped up and hit some big shots and big times too," Bell said. "We held Knafel for a little while there, but their other kids stepped up."
In the first quarter, it was Knafel and senior Jonna Wiggs hitting for Wawasee, as Knafel netted 11 in the opening eight minutes and Wiggs scored six.
"It was good to see her get off to a good start, because she's kind of been second-guessing herself," Zolman said about Knafel, who also had nine rebounds. "Seeing her come out and hit those first couple shots is going to get her into a good psyche."
The hot-shooting by Knafel and Wiggs helped Wawasee build a 19-7 lead in the first quarter, but Whitko proved they wouldn't go silently into the night.
The Lady Wildcats routinely made runs at the Lady Warriors, but each time they did so, Wawasee had a response.
"I'm proud of their effort, but we just can't keep digging these holes," Bell said. "If we come out and play with the intensity we played with in the final three quarters, this is probably a whole different ball game."
Late in the third quarter, Sylvester gave Whitko its first lead a 46-45 with 1:05 remaining, but Wawasee closed the quarter out on a 5-0 run.
The last two points of the quarter came when Wiggs in-bounded the ball from underneath her own basket, with one second remaining, to senior Amy Walker at the Wawasee free-throw line. After catching the ball, Walker took one dribble and swished a shot, that would prove to be pretty decisive.
"I'm glad we got that," Zolman said about the quarter-ending bucket.
The fourth quarter saw Wawasee build its lead to as much as eight on three separate occassions, the last coming after Knafel hit a shot with 2:53 remaining.
But just as they'd done all game long, the Lady Wildcats came storming back, thanks in-large part to six Lady Warrior turnovers in the quarter.
"To turn the ball over as many times as we do, giving the opponent extra possessions, and still come out on top - (you have to be mentally strong)," Zolman said.
Along with the turnovers, Zolman also saw his girls take some ill-advised shots in the final 1:30 of the game, clining to a 66-65 lead.
"We're young enough to be foolish and old enough to be dangerous," Zolman said. "Sometimes, that foolishness comes out, which we just can't have."
Despite losing the turnover battle 24-9, the Lady Warriors did outrebound Whitko 41-30, which helped in the end.
"It's cleanup time," Zolman said. "It's not re-evaluate time. That's what we're emphasizing now."
Wawasee hosts Plymouth in Northern Lakes Conference play Saturday, while Whitko also returns to conference action Saturday, traveling to Northfield for a Three Rivers Conference contest.
WAWASEE 68, WHITKO 67
Wh 13 13 20 21 - 67
Wa 19 12 20 17 - 68
Wawasee - Kalyn McDaniel 3-6 3-4 11, Amy Walker 3-5 2-5 8, KiLee Knafel 13-19 5-8 34, Kiley Cooper 2-7 3-6 7, Jonna Wiggs 3-8 0-0 8, Alexis Blunk 0-1 0-0 0, Kiley Norris 0-0 0-0 0, Kasey Napier 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-47 13-23 68.
Whitko - Karissa Olinske 6-17 3-7 18, Micaela Sylvester 9-18 11-15 29, Nicole Slaymaker 2-4 0-0 4, Katee Reiff 2-6 0-0 4, Rachelle Kessie 2-5 2-2 6, Cagney Craig 1-6 0-0 2, Josie Sparks 0-0 0-0 0, Cassie Jones 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 24-59 16-24 67.
Three-point goals - Wawasee 7-15 (Knafel 3, McDaniel 2, Wiggs 2), Whitko 3-19 (Olinske 3); Team Fouls (fouled out) - Wawasee 18 (Cooper), Whitko 21 (Kessie, Jones); Turnovers - Wawasee 24, Whitko 9; Rebounds - Wawasee 41 (Wiggs 12), Whitko 30 (Slaymaker 7); Assists - Wawasee 21 (Wiggs 8), Whitko 17 (Reiff 5); Steals - Wawasee 6 (Walker 5), Whitko 17 (Olinske 7); Blocks - Wawasee 2 (Cooper 2), Whitko 0; Records: Wawasee 11-4, Whitko 8-9
JV - Whitko 23, Wawasee 19
Whitko - Sparks 5, Sydney Sims 4, Melanie Kelsey 4, Jones 4, Kelley Reiff 2, Abby Alberding 2, Holly Frantz 2
Wawasee - Megan Grindle 6, Napier 5, Courtney Crabtree 4, Norris 2, Alex Fox 2
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