BLANCHARDVILLE - Senior Kimee Chandler again showed why she is a Division I college basketball recruit. The senior guard recorded her second consecutive triple-double in a 74-73 barnburning win over New Glarus.
"I did? What did I do now?," she said after scoring 29 points, including six 3-pointers, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and five steals, just two days after netting the rare feat against Highland.
Chandler, a UW-Milwaukee recruit, wasn't the only player on the court taking advantage of scoring opportunities. New Glarus forward Tanya Gruter had 10 points in the first quarter and 17 in the game. Michelle Preston scored 11 of her 28 points in the second quarter and finished 12 of 16 from the free throw line overall.
"It's exciting to score that many points, but I'd rather come out with a win," Preston said. "Nobody on this team cares about their own stats, all they want is the win. But it is fun to play in a close game. It's a lot more fun to lose by one than to win by 30."
The two teams had trouble controlling the ball early on, which led to a slow scoring pace with a lot of free throws.
"We got a little careless with the ball and we know we have to become a little sounder and make the easy plays," Pecatonica head coach Thomas Wilkins said. "Overall we managed well."
As the game progressed, the game-speed increased with it.
"We dealt well with the fast-paced, slow-paced game," New Glarus head coach Braden Rindy said. "But I was very pleased with how our girls attacked the ball. We want them attacking the hoop and getting those free throws."
New Glarus made 25 of 35 from the charity stripe, while Pecatonica was 11-for-18.
Pecatonica led 15-14 after the first quarter and the game was tied at the half.
"I love fast-paced games, it's what I've always done," Chandler said.
To start the second half, Chandler used her hot hand to give the Vikings the quick lead they needed to secure control.
"I was in the zone and coach told me to keep shooting. When he gives me the green light I'm going to keep shooting," Chandler said of the speedy play. She scored seven straight points in the third to put her team up 47-40.
Pecatonica continued to hold New Glarus at bay, maintaining at least a two-possession lead throughout much of the second half. Three times in the fourth quarter, the Vikings led by nine, including with 10 seconds remaining.
After breaking the press once again, Wilkins called a time out just as it appeared an open layup would extend the lead to 11.
"We got a few press-offense baskets at the end and a little bit of a lead there and almost got too conservative. We wanted to run some clock off but (New Glarus) did a nice job," he said. "But we're always glad to win."
New Glarus stole the ball and scored on a lay up to cut the score to seven with 16 seconds left. Another steal on the press and a 3-point basket by Rachel Miller with eight seconds left made the score 74-70. Rindy called a time out with 6.8 seconds left to stop the clock.
On the proceeding inbound, a long pass was intercepted just beyond half-court and Preston drilled a 3. Rindy used his final timeout stopped the clock again with 1.4 seconds left.
"When me and Rachel hit those 3s it was just so exciting. A lot of teams if they are down by nine points with 30 seconds left will just quit and say the game's over. But we never quit," Preston said. "That's one thing that coach Rindy tells us - never quit and always hustle."
Chandler took the final inbound and launched the ball straight up into the air, allowing time to expire before a foul could be called.
"If we would have played our game the entire time I think it would have been a lot different. We were just hot and cold and the inconsistency just killed us," Rindy said.
Ellie Gifford and Kaci Cassidy each scored 13 points for Pecatonica and Alisha Esselstein added nine. For New Glarus, Alycia Atwell also scored in double figures, finishing with 12 points before fouling out in the fourth.
Pecatonica (2-1) opens its Six Rivers East Conference season on Dec. 8 against Argyle. New Glarus (1-1) next plays at home against Evansville Dec. 8 and begins Capitol South play Dec. 17 at Cambridge.
"I did? What did I do now?," she said after scoring 29 points, including six 3-pointers, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and five steals, just two days after netting the rare feat against Highland.
Chandler, a UW-Milwaukee recruit, wasn't the only player on the court taking advantage of scoring opportunities. New Glarus forward Tanya Gruter had 10 points in the first quarter and 17 in the game. Michelle Preston scored 11 of her 28 points in the second quarter and finished 12 of 16 from the free throw line overall.
"It's exciting to score that many points, but I'd rather come out with a win," Preston said. "Nobody on this team cares about their own stats, all they want is the win. But it is fun to play in a close game. It's a lot more fun to lose by one than to win by 30."
The two teams had trouble controlling the ball early on, which led to a slow scoring pace with a lot of free throws.
"We got a little careless with the ball and we know we have to become a little sounder and make the easy plays," Pecatonica head coach Thomas Wilkins said. "Overall we managed well."
As the game progressed, the game-speed increased with it.
"We dealt well with the fast-paced, slow-paced game," New Glarus head coach Braden Rindy said. "But I was very pleased with how our girls attacked the ball. We want them attacking the hoop and getting those free throws."
New Glarus made 25 of 35 from the charity stripe, while Pecatonica was 11-for-18.
Pecatonica led 15-14 after the first quarter and the game was tied at the half.
"I love fast-paced games, it's what I've always done," Chandler said.
To start the second half, Chandler used her hot hand to give the Vikings the quick lead they needed to secure control.
"I was in the zone and coach told me to keep shooting. When he gives me the green light I'm going to keep shooting," Chandler said of the speedy play. She scored seven straight points in the third to put her team up 47-40.
Pecatonica continued to hold New Glarus at bay, maintaining at least a two-possession lead throughout much of the second half. Three times in the fourth quarter, the Vikings led by nine, including with 10 seconds remaining.
After breaking the press once again, Wilkins called a time out just as it appeared an open layup would extend the lead to 11.
"We got a few press-offense baskets at the end and a little bit of a lead there and almost got too conservative. We wanted to run some clock off but (New Glarus) did a nice job," he said. "But we're always glad to win."
New Glarus stole the ball and scored on a lay up to cut the score to seven with 16 seconds left. Another steal on the press and a 3-point basket by Rachel Miller with eight seconds left made the score 74-70. Rindy called a time out with 6.8 seconds left to stop the clock.
On the proceeding inbound, a long pass was intercepted just beyond half-court and Preston drilled a 3. Rindy used his final timeout stopped the clock again with 1.4 seconds left.
"When me and Rachel hit those 3s it was just so exciting. A lot of teams if they are down by nine points with 30 seconds left will just quit and say the game's over. But we never quit," Preston said. "That's one thing that coach Rindy tells us - never quit and always hustle."
Chandler took the final inbound and launched the ball straight up into the air, allowing time to expire before a foul could be called.
"If we would have played our game the entire time I think it would have been a lot different. We were just hot and cold and the inconsistency just killed us," Rindy said.
Ellie Gifford and Kaci Cassidy each scored 13 points for Pecatonica and Alisha Esselstein added nine. For New Glarus, Alycia Atwell also scored in double figures, finishing with 12 points before fouling out in the fourth.
Pecatonica (2-1) opens its Six Rivers East Conference season on Dec. 8 against Argyle. New Glarus (1-1) next plays at home against Evansville Dec. 8 and begins Capitol South play Dec. 17 at Cambridge.
