RIB LAKE GIRLS BASKETBALL - Redmen take advantage of young Screaming Eagles, cruise to big win
RIB LAKE GIRLS BASKETBALL
The Rib Lake girls basketball team turned defense into offense, pressuring an extremely young Chequamegon squad for 29 steals and the program’s highest point total in almost 17 years in an 84-27 win Thursday.
Coming off their near comeback from a 34-point second-half deficit at Columbus Catholic two nights earlier, the Redmen struggled to score early against the Screaming Eagles, leading just 7-4 through the first seven minutes. But then the lead gradually grew, getting to 33-9 with two minutes to go in the first half. Sophomore Emma Tlusty then went on a tear, scoring eight points in a matter of seconds, including three steals and scores in a row as Rib Lake’s lead shot to 45-12 at the half.
Tlusty had, by far, a varsity personalbest 22 points in the win, hitting 10 of 13 shots from the field.
Chequamegon, who has one senior and eight freshmen on its roster was unable to stop the bleeding in the second half. Isabelle Gumz had the hot hand for Rib Lake late, scoring her first eight points of the season and Josie Scheithauer capped a 12-point night with a late 3.
Ten Redmen got into the scoring column. Addison Gumz was the third Rib Lake player in double digits, scoring 12 points. Kiana Dallmann just missed double figures with nine, including a firsthalf 3-pointer. Tessa Weik and Madilyn Blomberg scored six points apiece, Avery Niemi had five, Madison Grzanna scored three late in the game and Tahlia Scheithauer added an early free throw.
Weik was Rib Lake’s leading rebounder with nine. Josie Scheithauer and Niemi had five apiece and Tahlia Scheithauer, Blomberg and Addison Gumz had four each.
Tahlia Scheithauer had five assists, while Weik and Niemi had four each, Addison Gumz had three and Dallmann and Tlusty added two apiece. While Chequamegon couldn’t hang onto the ball against Rib Lake’s traps, the Redmen had just 11 turnovers.
Freshman Mady Ernst led Chequamegon with 10 points, while senior Jene’ Scherwinski scored seven and had 15 rebounds.
The 84 points was the most a Rib Lake girls team has scored since Jan. 4, 2007 when that 22-1 squad beat Stratford 89-62. Rib Lake, now 1-1 overall and 1-0 in the Marawood North, was at Athens Tuesday in a game played after the early holiday deadline for The Star News. Rib Lake travels to Northland Pines Tuesday before finally getting its first home game Nov. 30, a non-conference matchup with Flambeau at 7:15 p.m. The Redmen will be at Edgar for a Marawood crossover the next night.
