New Richmond girls basketball team declares open season on Ellsworth
The New Richmond girls basketball team was one of the final area squads to open its season, but the Tigers showed they put their practice time to good use.
- Hannah Simpson
The New Richmond girls basketball team was one of the final area squads to open its season, but the Tigers showed they put their practice time to good use.
In last Tuesday’s Tiger season opener, New Richmond scalded Ellsworth 48-14. Ellsworth wasn’t able to reach double figures in scoring until there was 6:29 left in the game.
New Richmond used a fierce defense to shut down Ellsworth. The Tigers’ fine outside shooting was more than sufficient to control this game. The Tigers were able to force numerous turnovers in the game, including several five-second calls that were a result of tough defense on the perimeter.
“Defensively, I’m very pleased with where we’re at,” said Tiger coach Jeff Kanewischer. “That speaks to their dedication. They want to put the team in the best situation possible.”
At the offensive end of the court, the Tigers relied heavily on their outside shooting. Twenty-one of their points came off three-point shots. Kanewischer said one of the main issues the Tigers needed to address after this game was finishing their scoring chances close to the basket.
Junior Sydney Kannel led New Richmond with 15 points. Senior Kaycie Anderson and sophomore Hannah Simpson each scored nine points.
The Tigers played 10 girls in this game and they all were able to contribute. Kanewischer said that depth makes the Tigers a more difficult team to defend.
“We’re trying to expand our offense, making this a deeper team with more dimensions,” he said.
It was the defense that was expansive in this game. The Tigers led 10-1 after the first quarter and 22-5 at halftime. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Tigers were ahead 36-9. The Tiger defense produced a high number of Ellsworth turnovers, with Anderson snaring five steals to lead the team and Kannel adding three. The Tigers used a concerted team approach to rebounding. Maddie Kelly, Mattie Kidder and Simpson shared the team lead with seven rebounds each. Hannah Swetlik led the team with three assists.
The Tigers have had plenty of time to prep for their second game too. There was a 10-day span before this Friday’s game, when the Tigers play at Durand. The Tigers will also play on Saturday, hosting Rice Lake. Both games are 7:30 p.m. starts.
Tags: sports, tigers, basketball, prep
More from around the web
RSS Feeds