Loggers roll past Redmen for second time this year

RIB LAKE GIRLS BASKETBALL

Ultimately, the final result was virtually the same as the first meeting, but there were stretches where Rib Lake made things a bit more difficult for the Phillips Loggers in Thursday’s second meeting before eventually falling 72-33.

Some improvements over the 63-21 win Phillips got on Nov. 17 were seen offensively, where the Redmen ran some solid half-court sets and got some open shots and baskets. Defensively, Rib Lake got the Loggers to turn the ball over 16 and created a few points off them.

But the Loggers, who share the Marawood North lead with Athens with an 8-1 conference record, broke the game open with a strong 3-point shooting spree late in the first half and then gradually pulled away in the second half behind points off turnovers and offensive rebounding to complete their season sweep of the Lady Redmen.

Rib Lake fell to 1-8 in the conference and 2-10 overall with the loss.

Mataya Eckert hit nine of 12 shots from the field, including four of five 3-point tries to lead all scorers with 22 points, while her teammate Kacy Eggebrecht added 21 points on nine-of-17 shooting, including three of six from long range, and added six steals and four assists.

Rib Lake got an early lift from freshman Madilyn Blomberg, whose six points were the first six the teams scored. She got two scores off pinpoint diagonal passes from Addison Gumz to beat Phillips’ 1-3-1 zone and tie the game at 4-4 and then pulled up to hit a 16-foot jumper to keep Rib Lake within 8-6.

Josie Scheithauer, who led Rib Lake with 11 points, got a 3-point shot to drop to keep the home team within 14-9 but that was in the midst of a run where Eggebrecht hit one 3-pointer and Eckert hit two to help Phillips go up 22-9. After Kamryn Annala scored for the Redmen, the Loggers went on a 13-0 run, capped by two Eckert 3s before Scheithauer sank another 3 to end a good, patient possession by the Redmen. Eggebrecht’s basket at the buzzer made it 36-14 at the half.

Annala scored off a Scheithauer assist and Emma Tlusty gave Rib Lake a spark, nailing a triple and then scoring by using a back screed from Isabelle Gumz and an assist from Annala to make it 4621. Eggebrecht answered with a 3 and the Loggers wore down Rib Lake from there to eventually put the 40-point running clock into effect for the last five minutes.

Scheithauer had five rebounds and three assists for Rib Lake. Tlusty finished with seven second-half points. Annala scored four points, Avery Niemi had a late 3-pointer, three rebounds and three assists. Addison Gumz had a bucket, three assists, two steals and two rebounds.

Rib Lake’s Senior Night game with Chequamegon Tuesday was wiped out with the Screaming Eagles canceling the remainder of their season. Rib Lake heads to Auburndale Friday for a Marawood crossover, then heads to Athens for a tough North matchup on Jan. 26. The Redmen return to the home court Jan. 27 for a non-conference matchup with Columbus Catholic. All three games tip at 7:15 p.m.