RIB LAKE GIRLS BASKETBALL - Turnovers, Marathon’s inside game stop win streak

RIB LAKE GIRLS BASKETBALL

Rib Lake’s five-game girls basketball winning streak ended Friday in a turnoverfilled 57-43 loss at Marathon in a Marawood Conference crosser.

Marathon turned the basketball over 40 times, but when the Red Raiders were able to beat Rib Lake’s full-court pressure they won the game by getting good looks inside and converting them. The Red Raiders had a 42-12 advantage in points in the paint and shot 54.4% on two-point shots (23 of 37) as they improved to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Marawood South.

Rib Lake, who turned the ball over 29 times in a game and shot just 21% overall from the field, fell to 5-2 overall and is 4-1 in the Marawood North.

In game two of a varsity doubleheader, the Redmen looked good in the first six minutes, jumping out to an 11-3 lead. Avery Niemi started the game with a 3pointer, Addison Gumz got a free throw off a steal, Tessa Weik scored twice inside and Madilyn Blomberg hit a 3 to give Rib lake the early lead.

But then as the teams found the officials were going to let them play with some contact, ball pressure got tighter, the turnovers mounted and there was little offensive rhythm for either side. The Redmen especially went cold for the rest of the first half and Marathon gradually took control, outscoring them 24-5 to take a 2716 halftime lead. Marathon’s 6-foot junior Emma Love and 5-10 junior Mylee Haehlke both scored eight first-half points while helping their team establish control. Haelhke’s steal and score to start the second half gave Marathon its biggest lead up to that point at 13.

The Redmen made a run midway through the half. Emma Tlusty grabbed an offensive rebound and kicked the ball to Weik for a short score. Weik’s offensive rebound gave Tahlia Scheithauer a basket to make it 40-32. After Maycie Myszka drove for two for the Red Raiders, Niemi and Scheithauer hit back-to-back 3s to cut the deficit to four with 6:50 left. An Addison Gumz basket got Rib Lake within 42-40 with 5:36 left, but unfortunately for Rib Lake, that was its last field goal of the game. A Mayven Schneider basket and a score from Haehlke in the paint put Marathon up 46-41 with 4:10 left. Myszka’s long two-point shot was a big one with 2:52 left and Love’s post move got the lead back to double digits at 51-41 with just over two minutes to play. Kyla Heise’s high-post jumper was the dagger with 1:30 left, pushing the lead to 12.

Weik had a solid game for Rib Lake, posting a 12-point, 12-rebound doubledouble. She made five of 10 shots from the field. Niemi was three of six from 3-point range and three of seven overall while scoring nine points and adding three steals and three rebounds. For the rest of the team, the shots just didn’t fall consistently. Gumz did finish with seven points and six steals. Scheithauer had six points, four assists and four steals. Tlusty had five points and four rebounds.

Blomberg finished with three points and four rebounds. Kiana Dallmann had a point and two steals.

Haehlke led Marathon with 14 points. Love and Myszka scored 11 apiece. Haehlke had 13 rebounds and Love grabbed eight. Marathon had a 47-35 rebounding advantage.

Rib Lake hosts Prentice in a key Marawood North matchup Friday at 7:15 p.m. before taking a holiday break. The Redmen will then be off until a Jan. 2 nonconference home game with Gilman.