BLANCHARDVILLE - Black Hawk senior Paige Butler didn't want to repeat history in her last basketball game against Pecatonica in Blanchardville.
Butler didn't disappoint, scoring a game-high 27 points including four 3-pointers to propel the Warriors to a 67-52 win over the Vikings Friday night. With the win, the Warriors (5-0, 2-0 Six Rivers East) snapped a four-game regular season losing streak to the Vikings.
"It feels really good to win," Butler said. "It's our last game at Pec. We wanted to make the best of it and that's what we did."
Pecatonica (4-1, 1-1) ranked third in the WisSports.net Coaches poll, erased a 13-point third quarter deficit. Pecatonica junior Kimee Chandler stole the ball and hit a 30-foot buzzer beating 3-pointer to cut the Warriors' lead at the end of the third to 45-39.
Pecatonica senior Brittany Kent, who led the Vikings with 20 points, drilled a 3-pointer at the start of the fourth quarter to slice the Warriors' lead to 45-42. That's as close as the Vikings would get as the Warriors went on a 15-6 run fueled by a press defense and some timely free throw shooting. The Warriors made 5-of-8 free throws in the final 4 minutes, 14 seconds.
"We told our seniors this was their last chance to come in here and get a win," Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan said. "We are just humbled we were able to pull this one out. It's one game and it's early. It doesn't mean anything other than we were able to make some plays tonight.
"I think you can see our girls didn't celebrate. We just wanted to get it done and get back on the bus."
Early on in a highly anticipated showdown between two of the state's top five Division 4 teams, the game got off to a rousing start with a near sellout crowd. Black Hawk senior Gabi Lehner hit a 3-pointer midway through the first quarter to give the Warriors a 9-4 lead.
The Vikings answered scoring six straight points highlighted by a go-ahead jumper by Chandler and a 3-pointer by Kent to give the Vikings' a 15-12 lead.
Butler caught fire in the second quarter scoring 13 of her first half 15 points with a trio of 3-pointers in the period.
"We have been waiting for this," Flanagan said of Butler's scoring explosion. "She has struggled some with her shot. Shooters have to have confidence. You just have to keep shooting."
The Warriors' size and quickness on the offensive end paid dividends in the first half as they grabbed eight offensive rebounds. A steal and lay up by Butler sparked the Warriors. She was fouled on the play. She missed the free throw and senior Hailey Meier snared the offensive rebound and found Butler, who drained a 3-pointer for a 19-15 lead.
The Warriors extended their 27-22 halftime lead at the start of the third quarter with a 7-2 spurt highlighted by Butler's 3-pointer, which pushed the lead to 34-24.
Black Hawk junior Kim Wellnitz added 14 and Lehner added 11. The Warriors had a big advantage in free throw attempts (28-6).
Chandler scored nine for the Vikings and senior Elise Sigg added eight.
Pecatonica coach Mike Armitage said the Vikings were not in a good defensive position. "If we are not going to rotate, I don't care if we are in zone or man, it won't work," Armitage said. "We didn't take advantage of their mistakes."
The Vikings also relied on the 3-pointer to get back in the game and lived by the outside shot.
"Then you fall in love with it and think that is the answer," Armitage said. "That is not the answer."
Butler didn't disappoint, scoring a game-high 27 points including four 3-pointers to propel the Warriors to a 67-52 win over the Vikings Friday night. With the win, the Warriors (5-0, 2-0 Six Rivers East) snapped a four-game regular season losing streak to the Vikings.
"It feels really good to win," Butler said. "It's our last game at Pec. We wanted to make the best of it and that's what we did."
Pecatonica (4-1, 1-1) ranked third in the WisSports.net Coaches poll, erased a 13-point third quarter deficit. Pecatonica junior Kimee Chandler stole the ball and hit a 30-foot buzzer beating 3-pointer to cut the Warriors' lead at the end of the third to 45-39.
Pecatonica senior Brittany Kent, who led the Vikings with 20 points, drilled a 3-pointer at the start of the fourth quarter to slice the Warriors' lead to 45-42. That's as close as the Vikings would get as the Warriors went on a 15-6 run fueled by a press defense and some timely free throw shooting. The Warriors made 5-of-8 free throws in the final 4 minutes, 14 seconds.
"We told our seniors this was their last chance to come in here and get a win," Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan said. "We are just humbled we were able to pull this one out. It's one game and it's early. It doesn't mean anything other than we were able to make some plays tonight.
"I think you can see our girls didn't celebrate. We just wanted to get it done and get back on the bus."
Early on in a highly anticipated showdown between two of the state's top five Division 4 teams, the game got off to a rousing start with a near sellout crowd. Black Hawk senior Gabi Lehner hit a 3-pointer midway through the first quarter to give the Warriors a 9-4 lead.
The Vikings answered scoring six straight points highlighted by a go-ahead jumper by Chandler and a 3-pointer by Kent to give the Vikings' a 15-12 lead.
Butler caught fire in the second quarter scoring 13 of her first half 15 points with a trio of 3-pointers in the period.
"We have been waiting for this," Flanagan said of Butler's scoring explosion. "She has struggled some with her shot. Shooters have to have confidence. You just have to keep shooting."
The Warriors' size and quickness on the offensive end paid dividends in the first half as they grabbed eight offensive rebounds. A steal and lay up by Butler sparked the Warriors. She was fouled on the play. She missed the free throw and senior Hailey Meier snared the offensive rebound and found Butler, who drained a 3-pointer for a 19-15 lead.
The Warriors extended their 27-22 halftime lead at the start of the third quarter with a 7-2 spurt highlighted by Butler's 3-pointer, which pushed the lead to 34-24.
Black Hawk junior Kim Wellnitz added 14 and Lehner added 11. The Warriors had a big advantage in free throw attempts (28-6).
Chandler scored nine for the Vikings and senior Elise Sigg added eight.
Pecatonica coach Mike Armitage said the Vikings were not in a good defensive position. "If we are not going to rotate, I don't care if we are in zone or man, it won't work," Armitage said. "We didn't take advantage of their mistakes."
The Vikings also relied on the 3-pointer to get back in the game and lived by the outside shot.
"Then you fall in love with it and think that is the answer," Armitage said. "That is not the answer."
