If the Oconto Falls High School girls basketball team was able to keep the visiting Shawano Hawks off the free-throw line Dec. 22, the Panthers had a good chance to pull out a win.
Instead, the Hawks hit 22 of 27 free throws on the night, including eight makes on 10 attempts in the final three minutes of the game as they extended their lead for a 45-33 victory over the Panthers.
“The biggest difference in the game was the free-throw line,” Oconto Falls head coach Mike Kaczmarek Jr. said. “They outscored us by like 20 at the free-throw line. We’re not going to win too many games like that.”
The Panthers (2-7, 1-4 North Eastern Conference), who have lost four straight games, made all seven of their free-throw attempts in the game.
The Hawks started slowly, managing just 5 points in the first seven minutes of the game.
Shawano head coach Ryan Koenig blamed the slow start on having to play games on consecutive nights.
“We were a little slower because we played the night before, but honestly, it was really good, intense defense again,” Koenig said.
The Hawks (7-3, 2-2 Bay Conference) have held opponents below 35 points in consecutive games as part of a five-game win streak.
“The communicating, the tipped passes and deflections, that accounts for a lot of it, and then holding them to one shot,” Koenig said.
Morgan Klitzke sparked the Hawks’ offense, hitting three 3-point field goals in the first half, including back-to-back baskets after Bailey Wolf had put the Panthers ahead by 1 point with 10 minutes remaining. Klitzke added nine more points in the second half for her game-high 18 points to go along with a team-high six rebounds.
“She made her 3s in transition. I think we lost track of her in transition,” Kaczmarek said. “You can’t do that. When we got back and set up our zone, we could see if we could identify where she is. So we lost her in transition, and you can’t do that against a good shooter.”
Senior Jenny Krueger led Oconto Falls with 17 points.
Oconto Falls’ 33 points was their highest output in a game since Dec. 8 when it posted 54 points in a victory over North Eastern Conference foe Waupaca.
Krueger and Wolf led the offense again, but Kaczmarek would like his team to get more looks inside at the post.
“We have to be a little more patient on offense and wait for a good look and try and get the ball to Jenny (Krueger),” Kaczmarek said.
Shawano (45)
Monfils 0 2-2 2, Mo. Klitzke 4 6-6 18, Me. Klitzke 1 7-11 9, Schreiber 0 1-2 1, To. DePerry 1 2-2 4, Hokenstad 2 0-0 5, Gueths 0 2-2 2, Dunnam 1 2-2 4.
Oconto Falls (33)
Kratz 1 0-0 3, Helmle 0 2-2 2, Donart 1 0-0 3, Wolf 2 2-2 6, Steffens 1 0-0 2, Krueger 7 3-3 17.
Shawano 18 27 — 45
Oconto Falls 13 20 — 33
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