A lopsided win and a lopsided loss on back-to-back nights

RIB LAKE GIRLS BASKETBALL

After a trying week of dealing with health issues and protocols and then a rude welcome back to play from Phillips on Monday, the Rib Lake girls basketball got a nice morale booster on Tuesday when they demolished Chequamegon 68-28 to complete a season sweep of their Marawood North rivals.

It took some time to get the offense in gear, but once it did, head coach Wayne Mann said the Redmen executed quite well while improving to 4-9 overall and 3-5 in Marawood play.

“After a sluggish start in the first half, we shot really well in the second half,” Mann said. “It was nice to see five girls in double figures. Also, everyone scored. It was good to see the girls bounce back after struggling with Phillips the night before.”

Danielle Mann recorded a doubledouble in the win, scoring 12 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. She added six steals. Junior Kamy Annala was Rib Lake’s high scorer, pouring in a careerhigh 14 points. She sank six of 13 shots overall, including two of five 3-pointers, and added six rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Josie Scheithauer knocked down a pair of 3s and scored 12 points in the win. She had three assists and two steals. Molly Heiser pulled down eight rebounds and was five of eight from the free throw line while scoring 11 points. She was three for three from the field. Lauren Pelnis contributed 10 points, five rebounds and three steals.

Addison Gumz had four points, two assists and two steals. Emily Rodman hit a 3-pointer and had four steals and two rebounds. Senior Hannah Schuh got her first varsity points with two free throws and had three rebounds and two steals.

Rib Lake was 18 of 46 on two-point shots, hit seven of 25 3-pointers and made 11 of 18 free throws.

The Redmen were still down three players but hope to get some of that depth back soon heading into a busy last month of the regular season.

That stretch starts Friday when Rib Lake is scheduled to host a solid Auburndale team in a Marawood Conference crossover at 7:15 p.m. The Redmen then have back-to-back games against the top teams in the Marawood North. They go to Phillips Monday to make up a Jan. 13 postponement and host Athens on Jan. 27.

“After a trying week, hopefully we can get back to some regularity for the rest of the season,” coach Mann said.

Phillips 67, Rib Lake 24

Rib Lake’s first action in a week did not go well Monday as first-place Phillips scored the game’s first 10 points in just over a minute and cruised to a 67-24 win over the host Redmen.

The Loggers also beat Prentice 67-27 on Tuesday and sit atop the North with a 7-0 Marawood mark. They are 10-2.

Rib Lake did not handle Phillips’ trapping defenses well early. The Loggers used full-court pressure for a brief period to start the game and build the lead. They then went to a half-court 1-3-1 and then backed off as the game was well in hand before halftime.

Once the Redmen got into some halfcourt sets they had some offensive success. Annala and Gumz hit 3-pointer and Molly Heiser crashed the offensive boards and earned six free throws in the first half, making three.

But the Loggers’ senior standout Jada Eggebrecht nearly outscored Rib Lake by herself with 17 first-half points. Phillips led 44-18 at the break. The Loggers outscored the Redmen 23-6 in the second half, which went by quickly with a running clock in the last nine minutes. Eggebrecht finished with 27 points. Solita Kaster and Kacy Eggebrecht also hit double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

“We ran into a very good team and didn’t shoot well at all,” Wayne Mann said. “It was just not a good combination. We didn’t handle their pressure defense at all and our turnovers handed Phillips easy baskets.”

Gumz and Pelnis scored six points apiece and both had six rebounds and a steal. Rodman had four points and two rebounds. Heiser had five rebounds and an assist to go with her three points. Annala had three steals and three assists. Scheithauer had two points and two rebounds. Danielle Mann had nine rebounds and a steal. “On a good note, we play them again Monday and hopefully we’ll challenge them,” Wayne Mann said.