BRODHEAD - Sophomore Lexi Oliver hit the game-winning jump shot as time expired to give the Brodhead girls basketball team a thrilling 63-61 win over Oregon on Thursday.
With about 5 seconds to go, the Cardinals had to go the length of the court. Junior guard Erin Nyhus drove and hit Oliver with a pass on the left wing for the buzzer-beater.
"Our plan was to have Erin Nyhus attack it and if she got double-teamed she was supposed to kick it out to Lexi or Brooke (Becsup). For once, everything worked out for us," Brodhead coach Brian Kammerer said.
Kammerer was excited to see Oliver hit the game-winning shot.
"Her confidence is her biggest weakness right now," Kammerer said of Oliver. "She's just a sophomore. She has to believe in herself."
Nyhus scored a game-high 20 points and drilled three 3-pointers. She led a balanced Cardinals' offensive attack saw four players reach double figures. Brodhead senior Catherine Hazeltine added 12 points, and Oliver had 11 points. Brooke Bescup chipped in 10 points for the Cardinals (2-5, 1-4 Rock Valley South).
Kammerer also was pleased to see the balanced scoring.
"I think we have Nyhus who really is our go-to player," he said. "For us to be successful we need other kids to step up. We have lost some close games this year. We have had a lot of (youth) show in games this year. A win like this should boost their confidence."
Black Hawk 49, Albany 27
SOUTH WAYNE - Black Hawk freshman Hannah Butler continued her scoring tear, erupting for a game-high 21 points and hitting five 3-pointers, to power the Warriors to a win over Albany.
Black Hawk (6-0, 3-0 Six Rivers East) remains unbeaten heading into a nonconference game at Darlington today.
Black Hawk freshman Natalie Leuzinger added 19 points.
The Warriors built a 24-6 lead and cruised from there.
"There were some shots that we just didn't make," Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan said. "Defensively, we were able to get through it. That is what gets us through it. We were able to cause some havoc. Our halfcourt defense was pretty good, and our press was pretty good.
Leuzinger hit three of the Warriors nine 3-pointers.
Black Hawk junior Hannah Herbst had four assists and five steals.
"She (Herbst) has been one of our leading scorers the last couple of years," Flanagan said. "For her to be playing unselfish is amazing. She is setting her ego aside because she is not scoring as much. With her it's just about winning. She knows the kids can play. She understands for the team to be successful she has to be a distributor."
Albany sophomore Megan Anderson scored a team-high 12 points, which came on four 3-pointers. Sophomore Sydney Mortaloni chipped in six points on two 3-pointers.
With the loss, Albany drops to 0-7, 0-2.
Juda 74, Palmyra-Eagle 55
JUDA - Senior sharpshooter Chelsea Burkhalter scored a game-high 22 points to lead Juda to a nonconference win over Palmyra-Eagle.
Burkhalter drilled six of the Panthers' eight 3-pointers.
Juda built a 43-25 lead at halftime behind Burkhalter, who scored 15 points in the first half, including four 3-pointers.
Juda senior Sara Jordan added 12 points and junior MacKenzie Byrne added 11 points. Junior Hailey Kammerer chipped in nine points.
The Panthers did a lot of damage at the free-throw line, making 24 of 36.
Iowa-Grant 62, Pecatonica 25
BLANCHARDVILLE - Short-handed Pecatonica couldn't keep pace with Iowa-Grant.
Pecatonica (0-8, 0-2 Six Rivers East) trailed by 14 points at the half, 33-19. The Vikings had one player miss the game due to strep throat and another player suffer a bloody nose during the game. Two players for the Vikings got in foul trouble.
Iowa-Grant outscored the Vikings 29-6 in the second half.
"We were short-handed anyway," Pecatonica coach Bobby Rose said. "When you have one player trying to stop a bloody nose and two starters with four fouls, it gets thin pretty quick. Sometimes it just gets away from you. We struggled a little bit in the second half. It's a lesson we will learn. If we are in that position again we have to fight back."
Iowa-Grant freshman Olivia Liddicoat scored a game-high 34 points. She made three of the Panthers' six 3-pointers. Liddicoat made 9 of 15 free throws.
"She's a good jump shooter and is very good slashing to the basket," Rose said. "She's really aggressive and tough."
Pecatonica sophomores Alexia Knutson and Krin Broschous each scored a team-high six points.
With about 5 seconds to go, the Cardinals had to go the length of the court. Junior guard Erin Nyhus drove and hit Oliver with a pass on the left wing for the buzzer-beater.
"Our plan was to have Erin Nyhus attack it and if she got double-teamed she was supposed to kick it out to Lexi or Brooke (Becsup). For once, everything worked out for us," Brodhead coach Brian Kammerer said.
Kammerer was excited to see Oliver hit the game-winning shot.
"Her confidence is her biggest weakness right now," Kammerer said of Oliver. "She's just a sophomore. She has to believe in herself."
Nyhus scored a game-high 20 points and drilled three 3-pointers. She led a balanced Cardinals' offensive attack saw four players reach double figures. Brodhead senior Catherine Hazeltine added 12 points, and Oliver had 11 points. Brooke Bescup chipped in 10 points for the Cardinals (2-5, 1-4 Rock Valley South).
Kammerer also was pleased to see the balanced scoring.
"I think we have Nyhus who really is our go-to player," he said. "For us to be successful we need other kids to step up. We have lost some close games this year. We have had a lot of (youth) show in games this year. A win like this should boost their confidence."
Black Hawk 49, Albany 27
SOUTH WAYNE - Black Hawk freshman Hannah Butler continued her scoring tear, erupting for a game-high 21 points and hitting five 3-pointers, to power the Warriors to a win over Albany.
Black Hawk (6-0, 3-0 Six Rivers East) remains unbeaten heading into a nonconference game at Darlington today.
Black Hawk freshman Natalie Leuzinger added 19 points.
The Warriors built a 24-6 lead and cruised from there.
"There were some shots that we just didn't make," Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan said. "Defensively, we were able to get through it. That is what gets us through it. We were able to cause some havoc. Our halfcourt defense was pretty good, and our press was pretty good.
Leuzinger hit three of the Warriors nine 3-pointers.
Black Hawk junior Hannah Herbst had four assists and five steals.
"She (Herbst) has been one of our leading scorers the last couple of years," Flanagan said. "For her to be playing unselfish is amazing. She is setting her ego aside because she is not scoring as much. With her it's just about winning. She knows the kids can play. She understands for the team to be successful she has to be a distributor."
Albany sophomore Megan Anderson scored a team-high 12 points, which came on four 3-pointers. Sophomore Sydney Mortaloni chipped in six points on two 3-pointers.
With the loss, Albany drops to 0-7, 0-2.
Juda 74, Palmyra-Eagle 55
JUDA - Senior sharpshooter Chelsea Burkhalter scored a game-high 22 points to lead Juda to a nonconference win over Palmyra-Eagle.
Burkhalter drilled six of the Panthers' eight 3-pointers.
Juda built a 43-25 lead at halftime behind Burkhalter, who scored 15 points in the first half, including four 3-pointers.
Juda senior Sara Jordan added 12 points and junior MacKenzie Byrne added 11 points. Junior Hailey Kammerer chipped in nine points.
The Panthers did a lot of damage at the free-throw line, making 24 of 36.
Iowa-Grant 62, Pecatonica 25
BLANCHARDVILLE - Short-handed Pecatonica couldn't keep pace with Iowa-Grant.
Pecatonica (0-8, 0-2 Six Rivers East) trailed by 14 points at the half, 33-19. The Vikings had one player miss the game due to strep throat and another player suffer a bloody nose during the game. Two players for the Vikings got in foul trouble.
Iowa-Grant outscored the Vikings 29-6 in the second half.
"We were short-handed anyway," Pecatonica coach Bobby Rose said. "When you have one player trying to stop a bloody nose and two starters with four fouls, it gets thin pretty quick. Sometimes it just gets away from you. We struggled a little bit in the second half. It's a lesson we will learn. If we are in that position again we have to fight back."
Iowa-Grant freshman Olivia Liddicoat scored a game-high 34 points. She made three of the Panthers' six 3-pointers. Liddicoat made 9 of 15 free throws.
"She's a good jump shooter and is very good slashing to the basket," Rose said. "She's really aggressive and tough."
Pecatonica sophomores Alexia Knutson and Krin Broschous each scored a team-high six points.
