By MIKE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
ALMOND - A mix of tough defense and an anemic Wild Rose offense gave the Almond-Bancroft girls basketball team an easy 53-23 win in its postseason opener Tuesday night.
The Eagles caused turnover after turnover and the Wildcats couldn't convert on the shots they attempted in first round action in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 4 regional.
A-B limited Wild Rose to just one field goal in the first half and took a commanding 30-4 halftime lead.
"Defensively, we played well," A-B coach Rodney Wedig said. "We didn't have any silly fouls, we came up with steals and made some easy hoops. It's the most consistent effort we've had all season."
The Eagles started the game with a 9-0 run before Wild Rose got on the scoreboard with 3:29 left in the quarter. A-B got points from five different players in the surge - baskets by Sarah Berry, Andrea Cummings, Courtney Newby and Stephanie Jenz were followed by a Ellen Riggenbach free throw.
Wild Rose 6-1 junior center Jean Grosenick hit a free throw for her team's first points. She added a jumper in the lane with 1:41 left in the first quarter for the Wildcats' only field goal of the half.
"I put pressure on the inside girls (Berry and Riggenbach) to defend (Grosenick)," Wedig said. "She may have had 10 or 12 points, but she worked for every one of them."
After taking a 19-4 lead after one quarter, Jenz opened the second quarter with a pair of jumpers while Wild Rose continued to struggle offensively. The Wildcats failed to score in the second quarter, as Meghan Jones missed a pair of free throws and Dawn Groskreutz missed on the front end of the bonus.
The third quarter was more of the same, as A-B forced two turnovers in Wild Rose's first three possessions. While the Wildcats struggled, Berry connected from the post and Jenz hit two more jumpers to give the Eagles their biggest lead of the game 36-4.
Jenz, who - along with Riggenbach - was playing in her final home game, led A-B with 13 points while Berry added 10. Grosenick had 10 points and Tara Anderson chipped in with eight for the Wildcats. As a team, Wild Rose made only five field goals while connecting on 11-21 from the free throw line.
Wedig wasn't worried that the Eagles could have a letdown after the blowout win and said it actually may give A-B an advantage.
"I like it because we didn't play since last Tuesday. I was afraid we'd come out rusty. Everybody got in and the starters got some rest so that will help us," Wedig said.