RIB LAKE GIRLS BASKETBALL - Redmen can’t complete comeback in defensive batte with Prentice

RIB LAKE GIRLS BASKETBALL

Sticky defense from both sides created high numbers of turnovers, fouls and free throws Friday as the Prentice Buccaneers stole a key road win in Marawood North girls basketball, defeating Rib Lake 49-41.

The Bucs’ victory created a first-place tie between the teams in the North standings as both teams headed into a holiday break. They both sit at 4-2 in Marawood Conference games, a half-game ahead of 3-2 Phillips.

Rib Lake fell to 5-3 overall and Prentice is 5-4.

In the scoring department, the key edge in the game was at the free throw line. Prentice got there 34 times, making 18, while Rib Lake was 13 of 22, which was just enough to keep them in the lead through the second half.

Prentice took the lead for good by closing the first half with an 8-2 spurt, erasing Rib Lake’s 16-15 lead and giving the Buccaneers a 23-18 halftime lead. The Redmen did wipe out what became an eight-point deficit in the second half, tying the game at 30-30 with 8:15 left on a tough left-handed runner by Addison Gumz. But they just could not string together a stop or two with a score or two and push their way into the lead the rest of the way and suffered their second straight loss after a 4-0 start to conference play.

Gumz led Rib Lake in scoring with 10 points, while Isabelle Gumz added eight points. Kylie Orysen hit two early 3s and was six of 12 from the free throw line in the second half alone to score 16 points for Prentice. The Redmen did well to limit Prentice’s main scoring threat, Kali Heikkinen, to 14. But the senior all-conference performer did have a couple of key second-half baskets and four late free throws.

Aggressive defense from both teams created a game where contact was common and neither offense really ever got into an offensive flow.

Orysen’s early 3s helped Prentice jump out to a 11-3 lead. Prentice threw a couple of different defenses at Rib Lake early, starting in a man-to-man but then really stalling the Redmen for a stretch in an aggressive half-court 1-3-1 zone.

Rib Lake with its full-court 1-2-2 pressure, falling back into a 1-2-2 in the halfcourt as well, slowed down Prentice’s early momentum and the Redmen rallied with a 13-4 run that included a rebound hoop from Tessa Weik an Isabelle Gumz score off a steal, a Kiana Dallmann hoop and consecutive 3s from Emma Tlusty and Madilyn Blomberg that made it 16-15. But Rib Lake’s lead didn’t last long as Orysen scored off an Abigail Schuetz assist in the lane.

Prentice took a 30-22 lead four minutes into the second half. Rib Lake chipped away mainly from the free throw line before Gumz’s tying shot. But Prentice got a rebound basket from Kayla Gillett to break the tie. Heikkinen got a key basket by rebounding a missed free throw by Orysen and she beat Rib Lake’s backcourt trap and took it the distance for a 37-33 Prentice lead.

Rib Lake got within 40-37 with 4:25, quickly transitioning on a defensive rebound by Weik, who got the ball to Isabelle Gumz, who found Addison Gumz ahead of the pack for a layup. Addison Gumz scored again to make it 40-39 with 3:05 left. But Prentice iced it from there from the foul line, three Redmen fouled out –– Blomberg, Tlusty and Tahlia Scheithauer –– and Gillett got a clutch basket in the lane for Prentice that made it a three-score game at 46-39 with 1:18 left.

Dallmann had seven points for Rib Lake, Tlusty had six and Blomberg and Scheithauer scored three each. Weik and Avery Niemi scored two apiece.

Gillett added nine for Prentice. Rib Lake will start the play in the new calendar year on Jan. 2 when it hosts Gilman in non-conference play at 7:15 p.m.