ASHWAUBENON - The Black Hawk girls basketball team's signature run and jump press defense has been a hallmark all season, and the Warriors put it on full display for everyone to witness Friday.
Black Hawk again used a smothering pressure defense to roll to a 57-31 win over Newman Catholic in a WIAA Division 5 state semifinal game at the Resch Center in Green Bay.
"Our press is a major factor," said Black Hawk sophomore Natalie Leuzinger, who scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds and had four steals. "We try to get them tired so they make bad decisions later in the game."
With the win, Black Hawk (28-0) advances to play in today's state championship game against Bangor at 11:05 a.m. Bangor (25-3) edged Clayton 57-54 in the other Division 5 state semifinal Friday.
Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan is excited to see the Warriors on the brink of winning their first state championship in girls basketball.
"We control what we can control," Flanagan said. "These kids have worked so hard. Not just November to March, but in the offseason, the two sitting here (Natalie Leuzinger and Bailey Butler) are so disciplined and committed. That's why they have been able to have the success they do."
The Warriors had 19 steals in the game, which was five steals away from breaking Newman Catholic's record (23) in 2012. The Cardinals were plagued by 26 turnovers. Newman Catholic coach Jason Vanden Elzen had his team practice breaking a press against seven and six players in anticipation of playing Black Hawk.
"With their athleticism and quickness, it's tough to simulate that, especially with how savvy they are with a nose for the ball," Vanden Elzen said. "We had 26 turnovers compared to their five. You can't have that many turnovers at the state tournament and give them that many extra chances in a high stakes game like this. I knew with their run and jump press it may be tough for us to get the ball across half court to find opportunities."
Flanagan is in his 12th season coaching the Warriors. He has had his team working on the press before the season even started.
"We feel like it's the best system to use with the talent we have," Flanagan said. "The kids have to have a high basketball IQ. It's a read and rotate system. It's a system that demands a lot from the kids to run it at the high level that they do. It comes from practicing at a high tempo."
Black Hawk freshman Bailey Butler scored a game-high 17 points and had four steals. Her sophomore sister, Hannah Butler, had a solid all-around game scoring 9 points, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out five assists. Senior teammate Hannah Herbst chipped in 8 points.
The Warriors set the tone from the opening tip with a 14-0 run to start the game. Leuzinger scored Black Hawk's first 8 points. She drilled two 3-pointers to kickstart the Warriors' surge. Hannah Butler scored on a layup to give the Warriors a 10-0 lead with 13:10 left in the first half. Moments later, Bailey Butler and freshman Kaylee Marty scored on layups to give the Warriors a commanding 14-0 lead.
Bailey Butler made just two of 14 shots in the first half. However, after Herbst banked in a layup, the Warriors led 26-9 at the half. Newman had more turnovers (14) than points (9) in the first half.
The Warriors shot just 31.4 percent in the first half (11 of 35), but they built their 17-point lead on a lockdown defense. The Warriors stymied the Cardinals, limiting them to 15 percent shooting (3 of 20).
Black Hawk dominated the start of the second half with an 18-9 run. The Warriors looked to attack the Cardinals inside in the second half and lived in the paint. Black Hawk senior Briana Hagen scored on a layup and Bailey Butler slashed into the lane for a layup to give the Warriors a 35-14 lead with about 15 minutes left.
"We tried to get inside and get a kickout to our shooters because when we get open shooters, we can hit them," Bailey Butler said.
The Cardinals used a 1-2-2 press against the Warriors throughout the game. It didn't slow down Bailey Butler, who dribbled through the press most of the game. Flanagan liked the way the Warriors attacked the Cardinals' press.
"I thought one of the things we did as a team that I'm most proud of is we faced a defense we haven't faced before and we did a good job of attacking it and executing," Flanagan said.
Hannah Butler had a conventional 3-point play to give the Warriors a 38-14 lead with 11:36 left in the game. She then scored on a layup, and Herbst knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Warriors a 25-point lead, 42-17. Black Hawk led by as many as 26 points after Bailey Butler's layup with 9:26 to go.
The Warriors had 12 offensive rebounds that led to 17 second-chance points.
"We gave them too many second-chance opportunities," Vanden Elzen said.
Black Hawk again used a smothering pressure defense to roll to a 57-31 win over Newman Catholic in a WIAA Division 5 state semifinal game at the Resch Center in Green Bay.
"Our press is a major factor," said Black Hawk sophomore Natalie Leuzinger, who scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds and had four steals. "We try to get them tired so they make bad decisions later in the game."
With the win, Black Hawk (28-0) advances to play in today's state championship game against Bangor at 11:05 a.m. Bangor (25-3) edged Clayton 57-54 in the other Division 5 state semifinal Friday.
Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan is excited to see the Warriors on the brink of winning their first state championship in girls basketball.
"We control what we can control," Flanagan said. "These kids have worked so hard. Not just November to March, but in the offseason, the two sitting here (Natalie Leuzinger and Bailey Butler) are so disciplined and committed. That's why they have been able to have the success they do."
The Warriors had 19 steals in the game, which was five steals away from breaking Newman Catholic's record (23) in 2012. The Cardinals were plagued by 26 turnovers. Newman Catholic coach Jason Vanden Elzen had his team practice breaking a press against seven and six players in anticipation of playing Black Hawk.
"With their athleticism and quickness, it's tough to simulate that, especially with how savvy they are with a nose for the ball," Vanden Elzen said. "We had 26 turnovers compared to their five. You can't have that many turnovers at the state tournament and give them that many extra chances in a high stakes game like this. I knew with their run and jump press it may be tough for us to get the ball across half court to find opportunities."
Flanagan is in his 12th season coaching the Warriors. He has had his team working on the press before the season even started.
"We feel like it's the best system to use with the talent we have," Flanagan said. "The kids have to have a high basketball IQ. It's a read and rotate system. It's a system that demands a lot from the kids to run it at the high level that they do. It comes from practicing at a high tempo."
Black Hawk freshman Bailey Butler scored a game-high 17 points and had four steals. Her sophomore sister, Hannah Butler, had a solid all-around game scoring 9 points, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out five assists. Senior teammate Hannah Herbst chipped in 8 points.
The Warriors set the tone from the opening tip with a 14-0 run to start the game. Leuzinger scored Black Hawk's first 8 points. She drilled two 3-pointers to kickstart the Warriors' surge. Hannah Butler scored on a layup to give the Warriors a 10-0 lead with 13:10 left in the first half. Moments later, Bailey Butler and freshman Kaylee Marty scored on layups to give the Warriors a commanding 14-0 lead.
Bailey Butler made just two of 14 shots in the first half. However, after Herbst banked in a layup, the Warriors led 26-9 at the half. Newman had more turnovers (14) than points (9) in the first half.
The Warriors shot just 31.4 percent in the first half (11 of 35), but they built their 17-point lead on a lockdown defense. The Warriors stymied the Cardinals, limiting them to 15 percent shooting (3 of 20).
Black Hawk dominated the start of the second half with an 18-9 run. The Warriors looked to attack the Cardinals inside in the second half and lived in the paint. Black Hawk senior Briana Hagen scored on a layup and Bailey Butler slashed into the lane for a layup to give the Warriors a 35-14 lead with about 15 minutes left.
"We tried to get inside and get a kickout to our shooters because when we get open shooters, we can hit them," Bailey Butler said.
The Cardinals used a 1-2-2 press against the Warriors throughout the game. It didn't slow down Bailey Butler, who dribbled through the press most of the game. Flanagan liked the way the Warriors attacked the Cardinals' press.
"I thought one of the things we did as a team that I'm most proud of is we faced a defense we haven't faced before and we did a good job of attacking it and executing," Flanagan said.
Hannah Butler had a conventional 3-point play to give the Warriors a 38-14 lead with 11:36 left in the game. She then scored on a layup, and Herbst knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Warriors a 25-point lead, 42-17. Black Hawk led by as many as 26 points after Bailey Butler's layup with 9:26 to go.
The Warriors had 12 offensive rebounds that led to 17 second-chance points.
"We gave them too many second-chance opportunities," Vanden Elzen said.
