Lady Wildcats Extend Wawasee's Losing Streak
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
Making just 4 of 28 three-point attempts, the Lady Warriors (3-11) fell 48-35 to the Lady Wildcats (11-5), who took a 29-15 lead by halftime.
“When the shots aren’t falling, it just looks like nobody knows what they’re doing,” Wawasee coach Kem Zolman said.
Wawasee opened the game making 2 of 14 treys before Zolman called a timeout with 4:55 remaining in the second quarter and his team down 20-8.
Following the timeout, the Lady Warriors, who were making 24 percent of their three-point attempts coming into the game, began getting inside of Whitko’s 2-3 zone a little better, resulting in three-straight successful possessions.
“Any shooter needs a rhythm, and when you’re just passing the ball around the horn, you have to turn to catch the ball and you don’t have that rhythm to the basket,” Zolman said.
Despite Wawasee’s success on those possessions, Whitko didn’t give up a run, as senior Jordan Hall scored on two-straight possessions, keeping the Lady Warriors at bay.
Hall led the Lady Wildcats with 11 points, 12 rebounds and three assists in the victory.
“Jordan’s numbers are pretty consistent,” Whitko coach Brandon Bradley said of the 6-foot-1 center. “They’re a little bit better than they were a year ago and those were a little better than her sophomore year. I also think she’s playing differently this year. She’s doing some different things. She’s flashing to the high post a lot more. She’s making reversal passes a heck of a lot better.
“With her versatility in the post, being able to pass or score, the guards are more willing to throw it to her a lot sooner, because they know she can flatten out a zone and find open shooters,” he added.
Coming off the bench, sophomore Jennifer Reiff matched Hall’s point production with 11 of her own to go with four rebounds and two assists.
Also for Whitko, freshman Aly Reiff and her senior sister Kelly Reiff each netted eight points.
“This is as selfless of a team as I’ve had,” Bradley said. “They just found the open person.”
Building its lead to as much as 36-15 early in the third quarter, Bradley thought his girls began to let up down the stretch, as they were outscored 16-10 in the fourth quarter.
The reason for the letdown may have come from a smaller crowd, as Whitko didn’t have classes Tuesday, but Bradley would like for his girls to have better self motivation.
“Everybody (in the crowd) was comfortable,” he said. “Everybody just settled in. It felt like everybody was in their recliner watching TV. But after the game, we talked to the girls about having to create their own energy and not rely on other people.”
The Lady Wildcats will have plenty of motivation for their next contest, a home game Saturday afternoon with Northfield.
In the Three Rivers Conference, Whitko and Northfield each sit at 3-1 and Wabash, which Whitko plays Feb. 1 on the road, is 4-0.
Based on the records, if Whitko can beat their two remaining TRC opponents, it’ll have a share of the conference championship, as Rochester is the only other one-loss team, and lost 56-44 at Whitko on Jan. 11.
“Since we got back from break, all we’ve talked about is, ‘You hold your destiny,’” Bradley said.
A conference championship is not in the cards for the Lady Warriors, but for a team without a senior, Zolman is looking for small steps and he believes he saw some against Whitko.
“Missed shots are going to happen with as young as we are,” he said. “They are just now (learning to get) ready to shoot, hitting gaps and just playing when the other team is in a zone. The kids did better tonight. Kids stepping up in roles were a little better. It’s just hard to get upset with kids when they do work hard. It’s just ugly right now because shots aren’t falling like we’re used to seeing.”
Sophomore Kylee Rostochak was Wawasee’s bright spot, recording 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Perhaps another bright spot is the return of sophomore Erin Wiktorowski, who played her first game Saturday at Elkhart Memorial after fighting injury.
Starting with Rostochak as a freshman last season, Wiktorowski is still working her way back, making 2 of 12 shots for six points against Whitko, but in time, Zolman sees her regaining her form.
“It’s going to be a little bit for her, but she’s working hard to get there,” he said. “She played longer stretches tonight than she did Saturday. She’s still not there, but it’s coming.”
Up next for Wawasee is Saturday night’s Northern Lakes Conference home game against Plymouth.
The home game will be Wawasee’s first since it defeated Warsaw 39-35 on Dec. 21.
WHITKO 48, WAWASEE 35
Wa 8 7 4 16 – 35
Wh 15 14 9 10 – 48
Whitko – Brianna Cumberland 1-3 2-4 5, Aly Reiff 1-6 5-6 8, Aly Nicodemus 1-4 2-2 4, Kelly Reiff 3-9 0-1 8, Jordan Hall 3-6 5-6 11, Jennifer Reiff 4-7 3-3 11, Reghan Craig 0-0 1-2 1, Avaree Freel 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 13-35 18-24 48.
Wawasee – Elizabeth Jackson 4-14 0-0 9, Hannah Haines 1-8 0-0 3, Kylee Rostochak 3-10 7-8 13, Erin Wiktorowski 2-12 0-0 6, Aubrey Schmeltz 0-4 0-0 0, Courtney Linnemeier 0-0 0-0 0, Katlyn Kennedy 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 12-51 7-8 35.
3-point goals – Whitko 4-12 (K. Reiff 2, Cumberland, A. Reiff), Wawasee 4-28 (Wiktorowski 2, Jackson, Haines); Team Fouls – Whitko 11, Wawasee 18; Turnovers – Whitko 19, Wawasee 14; Rebounds – Whitko 34 (Hall 12), Wawasee 27 (Schmeltz 6); Assists – Whitko 7 (Hall 3), Wawasee 7 (Rostochak 3); Steals – Whitko 7 (A. Reiff 2, J. Reiff 2), Wawasee 8 (Jackson 3, Rostochak 3); Blocks – Whitko 2, Wawasee 1.
Records: Whitko 11-5, Wawasee 2-12.
JV – Whitko 31, Wawasee 13
Whitko JV – Hanna Yohe 12, Freel 5, Riley Insley 4, Haley Yohe 4, Michelle Kelsey 2, April Bishop 2, Kennedy Krull 2.
Wawasee JV – Kayla White 5, Seaquinn Bright 2, Madison Beaman 2, Nicole Streby 2, Lexie Young 1, Haines 1.[[In-content Ad]]
Making just 4 of 28 three-point attempts, the Lady Warriors (3-11) fell 48-35 to the Lady Wildcats (11-5), who took a 29-15 lead by halftime.
“When the shots aren’t falling, it just looks like nobody knows what they’re doing,” Wawasee coach Kem Zolman said.
Wawasee opened the game making 2 of 14 treys before Zolman called a timeout with 4:55 remaining in the second quarter and his team down 20-8.
Following the timeout, the Lady Warriors, who were making 24 percent of their three-point attempts coming into the game, began getting inside of Whitko’s 2-3 zone a little better, resulting in three-straight successful possessions.
“Any shooter needs a rhythm, and when you’re just passing the ball around the horn, you have to turn to catch the ball and you don’t have that rhythm to the basket,” Zolman said.
Despite Wawasee’s success on those possessions, Whitko didn’t give up a run, as senior Jordan Hall scored on two-straight possessions, keeping the Lady Warriors at bay.
Hall led the Lady Wildcats with 11 points, 12 rebounds and three assists in the victory.
“Jordan’s numbers are pretty consistent,” Whitko coach Brandon Bradley said of the 6-foot-1 center. “They’re a little bit better than they were a year ago and those were a little better than her sophomore year. I also think she’s playing differently this year. She’s doing some different things. She’s flashing to the high post a lot more. She’s making reversal passes a heck of a lot better.
“With her versatility in the post, being able to pass or score, the guards are more willing to throw it to her a lot sooner, because they know she can flatten out a zone and find open shooters,” he added.
Coming off the bench, sophomore Jennifer Reiff matched Hall’s point production with 11 of her own to go with four rebounds and two assists.
Also for Whitko, freshman Aly Reiff and her senior sister Kelly Reiff each netted eight points.
“This is as selfless of a team as I’ve had,” Bradley said. “They just found the open person.”
Building its lead to as much as 36-15 early in the third quarter, Bradley thought his girls began to let up down the stretch, as they were outscored 16-10 in the fourth quarter.
The reason for the letdown may have come from a smaller crowd, as Whitko didn’t have classes Tuesday, but Bradley would like for his girls to have better self motivation.
“Everybody (in the crowd) was comfortable,” he said. “Everybody just settled in. It felt like everybody was in their recliner watching TV. But after the game, we talked to the girls about having to create their own energy and not rely on other people.”
The Lady Wildcats will have plenty of motivation for their next contest, a home game Saturday afternoon with Northfield.
In the Three Rivers Conference, Whitko and Northfield each sit at 3-1 and Wabash, which Whitko plays Feb. 1 on the road, is 4-0.
Based on the records, if Whitko can beat their two remaining TRC opponents, it’ll have a share of the conference championship, as Rochester is the only other one-loss team, and lost 56-44 at Whitko on Jan. 11.
“Since we got back from break, all we’ve talked about is, ‘You hold your destiny,’” Bradley said.
A conference championship is not in the cards for the Lady Warriors, but for a team without a senior, Zolman is looking for small steps and he believes he saw some against Whitko.
“Missed shots are going to happen with as young as we are,” he said. “They are just now (learning to get) ready to shoot, hitting gaps and just playing when the other team is in a zone. The kids did better tonight. Kids stepping up in roles were a little better. It’s just hard to get upset with kids when they do work hard. It’s just ugly right now because shots aren’t falling like we’re used to seeing.”
Sophomore Kylee Rostochak was Wawasee’s bright spot, recording 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Perhaps another bright spot is the return of sophomore Erin Wiktorowski, who played her first game Saturday at Elkhart Memorial after fighting injury.
Starting with Rostochak as a freshman last season, Wiktorowski is still working her way back, making 2 of 12 shots for six points against Whitko, but in time, Zolman sees her regaining her form.
“It’s going to be a little bit for her, but she’s working hard to get there,” he said. “She played longer stretches tonight than she did Saturday. She’s still not there, but it’s coming.”
Up next for Wawasee is Saturday night’s Northern Lakes Conference home game against Plymouth.
The home game will be Wawasee’s first since it defeated Warsaw 39-35 on Dec. 21.
WHITKO 48, WAWASEE 35
Wa 8 7 4 16 – 35
Wh 15 14 9 10 – 48
Whitko – Brianna Cumberland 1-3 2-4 5, Aly Reiff 1-6 5-6 8, Aly Nicodemus 1-4 2-2 4, Kelly Reiff 3-9 0-1 8, Jordan Hall 3-6 5-6 11, Jennifer Reiff 4-7 3-3 11, Reghan Craig 0-0 1-2 1, Avaree Freel 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 13-35 18-24 48.
Wawasee – Elizabeth Jackson 4-14 0-0 9, Hannah Haines 1-8 0-0 3, Kylee Rostochak 3-10 7-8 13, Erin Wiktorowski 2-12 0-0 6, Aubrey Schmeltz 0-4 0-0 0, Courtney Linnemeier 0-0 0-0 0, Katlyn Kennedy 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 12-51 7-8 35.
3-point goals – Whitko 4-12 (K. Reiff 2, Cumberland, A. Reiff), Wawasee 4-28 (Wiktorowski 2, Jackson, Haines); Team Fouls – Whitko 11, Wawasee 18; Turnovers – Whitko 19, Wawasee 14; Rebounds – Whitko 34 (Hall 12), Wawasee 27 (Schmeltz 6); Assists – Whitko 7 (Hall 3), Wawasee 7 (Rostochak 3); Steals – Whitko 7 (A. Reiff 2, J. Reiff 2), Wawasee 8 (Jackson 3, Rostochak 3); Blocks – Whitko 2, Wawasee 1.
Records: Whitko 11-5, Wawasee 2-12.
JV – Whitko 31, Wawasee 13
Whitko JV – Hanna Yohe 12, Freel 5, Riley Insley 4, Haley Yohe 4, Michelle Kelsey 2, April Bishop 2, Kennedy Krull 2.
Wawasee JV – Kayla White 5, Seaquinn Bright 2, Madison Beaman 2, Nicole Streby 2, Lexie Young 1, Haines 1.[[In-content Ad]]
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