ARGYLE - To a basketball coach, taking care of the ball in crunch time can make or break a team.
The Argyle girls basketball team came back and erased an eight-point, second-half deficit, but an inpopportune turnover fueled Shullsburg to a 41-32 win over the Orioles in their season opener Friday night.
With just under two minutes left, the Orioles trailed the Miners 34-32. Then came a game-changing play that ignited the Miners. Shullsburg freshman Anna Doyle-Chandler hit a layup on the break and was fouled. She made the conventional three-point play at the foul line with 1 minute, 40 seconds left to give the Miners a 37-32 lead.
"At the end of the game, the team that makes their free throws and doesn't turn the ball over usually wins the game," Argyle coach Steve Dammen said. "I think that showed you we were inexperienced at the end."
The Orioles displayed resilency throughout the game.
The Orioles started fast in the third quarter with five consecutive points by senior Kelsey Ostby. Ostby put back a Jackie Dammen miss and was fouled. She converted the traditional three-point play at the free-throw line to cut the Miners' lead to 20-16.
Ostby, who scored a team-high eight points, liked the Orioles' ability to claw back into the game.
"It's always hard losing," Ostby said. "We really came back. From the first half to the second half, we really got all the jitterbugs out."
Argyle freshman Danielle Truethardt closed the third quarter with a bang, hitting a jumper, slicing the Miners' one-time eight-point lead to 24-22.
Argyle sophomore Kelsey Bartels missed a jumper and senior Sierra Granberg grabbed an offensive rebound and made a putback and was fouled. With 4:32 left, Granberg nailed the free throw to tie the score at 26.
"At halftime we talked about getting the ball inside," Dammen said. "We talked about speeding the game up defensively and slowing it down offensively."
Shullsburg opened the game on a 12-3 first-quarter run. Argyle junior Jeannie Dammen hit a 3-pointer late in the quarter to cut the Miners' lead to 12-6.
The Orioles used a full-court press throughout the first half and forced 11 of the Miners' 19 turnovers. In the second quarter, Argyle junior Jackie Dammen stole the ball and went coast-to-cost and flipped in a shot over her shoulder to cut the Miners' lead to 12-8.
Despite hitting only 4 of 18 shots in the first half, the Orioles trailed by just seven points at halftime, 18-11.
"We seemed nervous and inexperienced," Dammen said of the first half. "I think we will be OK. We just have to take it baby steps."
Granberg and Jackie Dammen added six points each for the Orioles.
The Argyle girls basketball team came back and erased an eight-point, second-half deficit, but an inpopportune turnover fueled Shullsburg to a 41-32 win over the Orioles in their season opener Friday night.
With just under two minutes left, the Orioles trailed the Miners 34-32. Then came a game-changing play that ignited the Miners. Shullsburg freshman Anna Doyle-Chandler hit a layup on the break and was fouled. She made the conventional three-point play at the foul line with 1 minute, 40 seconds left to give the Miners a 37-32 lead.
"At the end of the game, the team that makes their free throws and doesn't turn the ball over usually wins the game," Argyle coach Steve Dammen said. "I think that showed you we were inexperienced at the end."
The Orioles displayed resilency throughout the game.
The Orioles started fast in the third quarter with five consecutive points by senior Kelsey Ostby. Ostby put back a Jackie Dammen miss and was fouled. She converted the traditional three-point play at the free-throw line to cut the Miners' lead to 20-16.
Ostby, who scored a team-high eight points, liked the Orioles' ability to claw back into the game.
"It's always hard losing," Ostby said. "We really came back. From the first half to the second half, we really got all the jitterbugs out."
Argyle freshman Danielle Truethardt closed the third quarter with a bang, hitting a jumper, slicing the Miners' one-time eight-point lead to 24-22.
Argyle sophomore Kelsey Bartels missed a jumper and senior Sierra Granberg grabbed an offensive rebound and made a putback and was fouled. With 4:32 left, Granberg nailed the free throw to tie the score at 26.
"At halftime we talked about getting the ball inside," Dammen said. "We talked about speeding the game up defensively and slowing it down offensively."
Shullsburg opened the game on a 12-3 first-quarter run. Argyle junior Jeannie Dammen hit a 3-pointer late in the quarter to cut the Miners' lead to 12-6.
The Orioles used a full-court press throughout the first half and forced 11 of the Miners' 19 turnovers. In the second quarter, Argyle junior Jackie Dammen stole the ball and went coast-to-cost and flipped in a shot over her shoulder to cut the Miners' lead to 12-8.
Despite hitting only 4 of 18 shots in the first half, the Orioles trailed by just seven points at halftime, 18-11.
"We seemed nervous and inexperienced," Dammen said of the first half. "I think we will be OK. We just have to take it baby steps."
Granberg and Jackie Dammen added six points each for the Orioles.
