MEDFORD GIRLS BASKETBALL - Medford girls find ways to get it done in win at Merrill

MEDFORD GIRLS BASKETBALL

The Medford Raiders gave up more points off turnovers than they would have liked Monday, particularly against Merrill’s full-court pressure in the first half, but they made up for it by creating extra possessions with strong rebounding, attacking the basket aggressively and getting to the free throw line in a 63-60 nonconference win at Merrill.

The Raiders’ recent uptick in offensive production continued with a second straight game of shooting 42% from the field, a career-high 23 points from sophomore Rylee Hraby as well as 19 points and 11 points from the freshman duo of Kayla Baumgartner and Taylor Klingbeil.

Another positive for coaches Chad Fronk and Keith Wicks was to see the girls battle back from a 48-40 deficit on the road in the last 12 minutes.

By improving to 7-10 overall, Medford surpassed its win total from a year ago and, for the fourth time this season, the Raiders beat an opponent they lost to last year.

Medford has won four straight games and five of its last six.

Merrill, who had its previous three games all postponed, used an 8-1 run to take its 48-40 lead in the second half and nearly pushed the lead to 10 or more when Mia Ott hit what could have been an and-one. The foul, though, was ruled to have come before the shot, Medford got a stop and then quickly got right back into the mix.

Baumgartner got an and-one of her own and converted the three-point play at the 11:17 mark. That was followed by a Hraby pull-up jumper from 16 feet. After a score from Merrill’s Haley Rindt, Baumgartner scored inside and Toryn Rau hit a baseline jumper from the left side. Hraby’s free throws with 9:12 to go put Medford up 51-50.

Ott quickly answered with a 3-pointer, but Rau hit another long jumper off a kickout pass from Breanna Kraemer, Baumgartner got the go-ahead score with 7:55 to play and Kraemer got a key offensive stickback to put Medford up by four.

Brenna Jirovec hit a triple for Merrill, but Laney Hraby came up big, sinking on open 3 from the left wing at the 5:05 mark to give Medford a 60-56 edge.

Medford hit just enough free throws and got just enough stops to close it out from there.

Both teams’ offenses clicked in the first half.

Medford jumped ahead 9-3, thanks to a Baumgartner score, Rylee Hraby’s steal and score and a 3-pointer from Klingbeil. The first of Rylee Hraby’s three 3s came after Aliyah Pilgrim got to a loose ball to save the possession. Pilgrim’s screen opened up a driving lane for Hraby at midcourt and that score made it 14-9. Hraby scored again on a backdoor cut and assist from Kraemer to make it 16-9.

Merrill tied it at 17-17, Baumgartner answered with a 3-pointer and the teams went back and forth from there. Klingbeil scored all 11 of her points in the first half, including six straight on a putback, a hard drive to the rim and a steal to put Medford up 31-27, but the Blue Jays ended the half with a 10-3 surge to lead 37-34 at the break.

Medford made 21 of 50 shots from the field, including six of 14 3-point tries and was 15 of 23 from the free throw line. Merrill shot 36.5% from the field (23 of 63), but was just four of 21 from deep. The Blue Jays made 10 of 16 free throws.

Medford held a 44-34 rebounding edge and got 17 offensive boards, leading to 11 second-chance points. The Raiders’ 26 turnovers led to 26 points for Merrill.

Rau scored four points, Laney Hraby scored three, Kraemer had two points and Rachel Wesle added one in the win. Klingbeil’s 13 rebounds gave her a double-double. Baumgartner had six rebounds and Kraemer had four.

Baumgartner, Kraemer and Klingbeil each had three assists. Rylee Hraby had five steals. She made seven of 15 shots from the field, three of five 3-point tries and six of her 10 free throws.

Ott led Merrill (7-6) with 21 points, eight rebounds and six steals. Sophie Wendorf and Rindt added 12 points apiece.

Medford’s game at Rhinelander Friday was postponed due to weather and will now be played on Feb. 5. The Raiders start round two of Great Northern Conference play Friday by hosting league-leading Lakeland at 7:15 p.m. Medford hosts a tough small-school squad in Crandon in non-conference play Tuesday.