Playoff hoops aren’t set to get under way for another week, but the intensity was already ramped up full burn in Tuesday night’s Central Wisconsin Conference-10 showdown between two of the area’s hottest teams.
Bowler played a game that its coach characterized as an all-timer, and Menominee Indian got off the deck repeatedly to keep it interesting, and in the end the host Panthers had ended Menominee Indian’s perfect run in the Central Wisconsin Conference-10 with a sensational 64-56 victory.
“It was one of the biggest wins in history of the school,” Bowler coach A.J. Miller said. “To play like we did and knock off a great team like Menominee Indian is a really good night for our program.”
Bowler won its sixth straight and improved to 17-4 and 13-4 in conference behind the remarkable guard play of Ashlynn Brisk and Reanne Kietlinski, whose speed kept the Eagles (19-2, 16-1) on their heels for much of the night and produced handfuls of easy fast-break points. Brisk finished with a career-high 32 points and five steals, while Kietlinski, a slashing freshman guard with a deft shooting touch, had 12 points and five steals.
“It was an exciting game, but I think we just got outhustled,” Menominee Indian coach Chris Rice said. “Give them credit; they just had a little more pep in their step tonight. A well-played game like this can only help us for the postseason.”
The Eagles’ Ania Smith did all she could to keep her team in the game, going strong to the rack all night in scoring a team-high 26 points and pulling down eight rebounds. Sasha Peters and Taylor Mahkimetas added nine points apiece for Menominee Indian, and Erin Wynos had eight.
The game turned early in the second half, when Bowler’s 17-5 run turned a two-point halftime deficit into a 39-29 advantage. Two steals by Brisk, which she turned into coast-to-coast driving layups, turned the momentum solidly over to the Panthers, whose quick-handed backcourt and clutch outside shooting kept Menominee Indian at bay.
The Eagles crept to within four points, 51-47, on a driving hoop by Smith with 3:56 left in the game. As she had done all night, Brisk was there to douse the rally, scoring four points that kept the Eagles out of range.
“We knew that if we were going to beat them we’d have to finish well on our fast break,” Brisk said. “They’re a good team, but we’re playing well now. A game like this will give us confidence going into the postseason.”
Bowler’s Taylor Matsche hit three 3-pointers to finish with nine points.
Menominee Indian (56)
Chevalier 1 0-0 3, Mahkimetas 3 3-6 9, Wynos 3 0-0 8, Peters 4 1-2 9, Waukau 0 1-2 1, Smith 11 4-7 26.
Bowler (64)
Wayka 1 0-0 2, Matsche 3 0-1 9, Brisk 9 12-16 32, Kietlinski 5 0-4 12, Breitrick 1 0-0 2, Malone 3 1-2 7.
Menominee Indian 12 12 12 20 — 56
Bowler 12 10 24 18 — 64
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