SOUTH WAYNE - Despite the wild hair colors, Dennis Rodman during his run with the Bulls made even the novice basketball fan step up and cheer an offensive rebound.
The Black Hawk girls basketball team rebounded like Rodman, without the antics, Monday for its sixth straight victory to start the season. The latest win was a 55-28 non-conference triumph over New Glarus.
Black Hawk (6-0, 2-0 Six Rivers East), ranked fifth in the WisSports.net Coaches state poll, had 21 offensive rebounds against the Knights.
Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan said he urges his team to win the offensive rebound and turnover battles.
"Those are the two statistics that will win basketball games," Flanagan said. "Our ability on the offensive boards has been key for us this year. I think those are the hustle plays. Offensive rebounds, half the time, turn into points."
The Warriors went on a 17-0 first-quarter run sparked by a full-court press and some dominant offensive rebounding. Black Hawk senior Paige Butler, who scored a game-high 20 points, drilled a 3-pointer and junior Kim Wellnitz (nine points) made a basket down low and was fouled. She converted the conventional three-point play midway through the first quarter to give the Warriors a 15-0 lead.
The big difference was the Warriors' ability to crash the glass, which led to secondchance scoring opportunities. The Warriors had eight of their 13 first-half offensive rebounds in the first quarter.
The Warriors held the Knights scoreless for five minutes of the first quarter before freshman Alycia Atwell scored down low to snap the scoring drought.
With 3 minutes, 35 seconds left in the first quarter, Black Hawk senior Hailey Meier grabbed an offensive rebound and threw a perfect pass to Butler down low for a basket as the lead ballooned to 17-0.
"You can't teach height right away," New Glarus coach Braden Rindy said. "I think right away out of the gate, we were kind of scared. We came out kind of hesitant. That height and offensive rebounding will kill you."
New Glarus (0-5, 0-1 Capitol South) has played three of the state's top five Division 4 teams in Pecatonica, Barneveld and Black Hawk. Rindy knows it's a blessing and a curse playing the state's top teams early with a young team.
"We do have to get better every time we play some of those top teams," Rindy said. "They are some of the best in the state. We are battle tested. The only thing that will hurt us is if we don't think we are as good as we are."
In the second half, the Knights went to a press and a halfcourt trap to slow the Warriors. A jumper by New Glarus junior Alissa Siegenthaler cut the Warriors' lead to 32-16.
"They (New Glarus) played strong and with a lot of heart," Rindy said.
The Warriors surged from there with a 14-3 run, highlighted by a basket down low by Black Hawk junior Katie Place (nine points), two steals by senior Gabi Lehner and a pair of 3-pointers by Butler to push the Warriors' lead to 46-19 at the end of the third quarter.
The Knights were led by junior Tanya Gruter, who scored nine points, and Michelle Preston, who added eight.
Only two days removed from a big 67-52 win over Pecatonica, the Warriors know there is room for improvement.
"There was definitley a letdown, Butler said. "I think our pressure defense will be a factor every game. We got a lot of turnovers. We have to make that into points instead of turning the ball over to the other team."
Flanagan was concerned with the turnovers, several missed layups and some defensive breakdowns.
"That is a lack of focus," he said. "I think they played really hard. There is a difference between playing hard and smart. At times, we didn't play smart."
The Warriors now have 15 days before their next game Dec. 30 at Orfordville Parkview in a battle of unbeatens.
The Black Hawk girls basketball team rebounded like Rodman, without the antics, Monday for its sixth straight victory to start the season. The latest win was a 55-28 non-conference triumph over New Glarus.
Black Hawk (6-0, 2-0 Six Rivers East), ranked fifth in the WisSports.net Coaches state poll, had 21 offensive rebounds against the Knights.
Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan said he urges his team to win the offensive rebound and turnover battles.
"Those are the two statistics that will win basketball games," Flanagan said. "Our ability on the offensive boards has been key for us this year. I think those are the hustle plays. Offensive rebounds, half the time, turn into points."
The Warriors went on a 17-0 first-quarter run sparked by a full-court press and some dominant offensive rebounding. Black Hawk senior Paige Butler, who scored a game-high 20 points, drilled a 3-pointer and junior Kim Wellnitz (nine points) made a basket down low and was fouled. She converted the conventional three-point play midway through the first quarter to give the Warriors a 15-0 lead.
The big difference was the Warriors' ability to crash the glass, which led to secondchance scoring opportunities. The Warriors had eight of their 13 first-half offensive rebounds in the first quarter.
The Warriors held the Knights scoreless for five minutes of the first quarter before freshman Alycia Atwell scored down low to snap the scoring drought.
With 3 minutes, 35 seconds left in the first quarter, Black Hawk senior Hailey Meier grabbed an offensive rebound and threw a perfect pass to Butler down low for a basket as the lead ballooned to 17-0.
"You can't teach height right away," New Glarus coach Braden Rindy said. "I think right away out of the gate, we were kind of scared. We came out kind of hesitant. That height and offensive rebounding will kill you."
New Glarus (0-5, 0-1 Capitol South) has played three of the state's top five Division 4 teams in Pecatonica, Barneveld and Black Hawk. Rindy knows it's a blessing and a curse playing the state's top teams early with a young team.
"We do have to get better every time we play some of those top teams," Rindy said. "They are some of the best in the state. We are battle tested. The only thing that will hurt us is if we don't think we are as good as we are."
In the second half, the Knights went to a press and a halfcourt trap to slow the Warriors. A jumper by New Glarus junior Alissa Siegenthaler cut the Warriors' lead to 32-16.
"They (New Glarus) played strong and with a lot of heart," Rindy said.
The Warriors surged from there with a 14-3 run, highlighted by a basket down low by Black Hawk junior Katie Place (nine points), two steals by senior Gabi Lehner and a pair of 3-pointers by Butler to push the Warriors' lead to 46-19 at the end of the third quarter.
The Knights were led by junior Tanya Gruter, who scored nine points, and Michelle Preston, who added eight.
Only two days removed from a big 67-52 win over Pecatonica, the Warriors know there is room for improvement.
"There was definitley a letdown, Butler said. "I think our pressure defense will be a factor every game. We got a lot of turnovers. We have to make that into points instead of turning the ball over to the other team."
Flanagan was concerned with the turnovers, several missed layups and some defensive breakdowns.
"That is a lack of focus," he said. "I think they played really hard. There is a difference between playing hard and smart. At times, we didn't play smart."
The Warriors now have 15 days before their next game Dec. 30 at Orfordville Parkview in a battle of unbeatens.
