SOUTH WAYNE - The Black Hawk girls basketball team isn't using its signature press of the last several years, but sophomore Jen Wellnitz said it's hard to argue with the early returns.
Black Hawk (4-0, 1-0 Six Rivers East) used a stifling man defense to shut down Monticello and cruise to a
49-31 victory Friday night.
"I don't think there is anything like the jump and run (press) we played last year," Wellnitz said. "This is working for us."
Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan was excited with the Warriors' defensive effort that stymied the Ponies in the second half.
"I just think we are a different team with different personnel this year," Flanagan said of the Warriors playing man defense. "When you have two 6-footers, it's hard to press."
It was a tale of two halves for Monticello (5-3, 1-1), which scored nine unanswered points in the first quarter to take a 9-4 lead at the end of the period.
The Ponies had a lead against the No. 2-ranked Warriors for a good portion of the first half. That's until Wellnitz had two steals and a layup to help the Warriors take an 18-17 halftime lead.
The Ponies' offense sputtered in the second half, when they shot 20 percent (5 of 25) and finished at 28.2 percent for the game.
The Warriors, who shot 45.4 percent, put the game away with a 17-2 fourth-quarter run. Wellnitz finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and four steals.
"Jen Wellnitz kind of took the game over in the second half," Monticello coach Tom Eveland said. "She grew up with basketball. She has been around basketball her whole life. She's a good ballplayer. We just couldn't hit anything."
Black Hawk used a 10-1 third-quarter run to take a 10-point lead. Senior Kayla Meier scored down low and Wellnitz made a steal and layup to give the Warriors a 25-18 lead with 5 minutes, 44 seconds left in the third. Black Hawk senior Katie Powers, who also scored 14 points, drilled a 3-pointer to give the Warriors a 28-18 lead midway through the third quarter.
The Ponies showed some resiliency in fighting back from a 10-point deficit.
Monticello sophomore Marissa Berg hit two 3-pointers to slice the Warriors' lead to 28-26 with 1:26 to go in the period. But Black Hawk senior Chaesta Shager knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Warriors a 31-26 lead entering the fourth quarter.
"It was definitely insane because I thought they were going to come back because Marissa Berg is a good shooter," Wellnitz said. "We knew if we didn't get out on her that she would kill us."
At halftime, Flanagan preached to his team the importance of challenging shots on defense.
"Any time a team hits two 3-pointers in a row, that gives them some momentum," Flanagan said. "I think we did a better job in the second half of getting a hand up on their shooters. We were able to get to their better players earlier in our defense. That was a key for us."
Monticello freshman Alyssah Kubly knocked down a jumper early in the fourth quarter to cut the Warriors' lead to 35-28. That was as close as the Ponies would get, as the Warriors scored 12 unanswered points. Wellnitz answered with a 3-pointer to extend the Warriors' lead to 38-28 with 5:11 remaining.
"I was surprised by that shot," Flanagan said. "That was a big shot for momentum. That helped get the momentum swinging back to us."
Flanagan was excited about how aggressive Powers was attacking the basket.
"I thought Katie Powers played really well, especially going to the basket when they were looking to take Jen away," he said. "Katie did a good job of making plays when she had the opportunities."
Berg scored eight points to lead the Ponies. Monticello will look to regroup when it hosts Argyle on Thursday, Dec. 22.
"We can't hang our heads," Eveland said. "This is just our second conference game. We just have to get better."
Black Hawk (4-0, 1-0 Six Rivers East) used a stifling man defense to shut down Monticello and cruise to a
49-31 victory Friday night.
"I don't think there is anything like the jump and run (press) we played last year," Wellnitz said. "This is working for us."
Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan was excited with the Warriors' defensive effort that stymied the Ponies in the second half.
"I just think we are a different team with different personnel this year," Flanagan said of the Warriors playing man defense. "When you have two 6-footers, it's hard to press."
It was a tale of two halves for Monticello (5-3, 1-1), which scored nine unanswered points in the first quarter to take a 9-4 lead at the end of the period.
The Ponies had a lead against the No. 2-ranked Warriors for a good portion of the first half. That's until Wellnitz had two steals and a layup to help the Warriors take an 18-17 halftime lead.
The Ponies' offense sputtered in the second half, when they shot 20 percent (5 of 25) and finished at 28.2 percent for the game.
The Warriors, who shot 45.4 percent, put the game away with a 17-2 fourth-quarter run. Wellnitz finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and four steals.
"Jen Wellnitz kind of took the game over in the second half," Monticello coach Tom Eveland said. "She grew up with basketball. She has been around basketball her whole life. She's a good ballplayer. We just couldn't hit anything."
Black Hawk used a 10-1 third-quarter run to take a 10-point lead. Senior Kayla Meier scored down low and Wellnitz made a steal and layup to give the Warriors a 25-18 lead with 5 minutes, 44 seconds left in the third. Black Hawk senior Katie Powers, who also scored 14 points, drilled a 3-pointer to give the Warriors a 28-18 lead midway through the third quarter.
The Ponies showed some resiliency in fighting back from a 10-point deficit.
Monticello sophomore Marissa Berg hit two 3-pointers to slice the Warriors' lead to 28-26 with 1:26 to go in the period. But Black Hawk senior Chaesta Shager knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Warriors a 31-26 lead entering the fourth quarter.
"It was definitely insane because I thought they were going to come back because Marissa Berg is a good shooter," Wellnitz said. "We knew if we didn't get out on her that she would kill us."
At halftime, Flanagan preached to his team the importance of challenging shots on defense.
"Any time a team hits two 3-pointers in a row, that gives them some momentum," Flanagan said. "I think we did a better job in the second half of getting a hand up on their shooters. We were able to get to their better players earlier in our defense. That was a key for us."
Monticello freshman Alyssah Kubly knocked down a jumper early in the fourth quarter to cut the Warriors' lead to 35-28. That was as close as the Ponies would get, as the Warriors scored 12 unanswered points. Wellnitz answered with a 3-pointer to extend the Warriors' lead to 38-28 with 5:11 remaining.
"I was surprised by that shot," Flanagan said. "That was a big shot for momentum. That helped get the momentum swinging back to us."
Flanagan was excited about how aggressive Powers was attacking the basket.
"I thought Katie Powers played really well, especially going to the basket when they were looking to take Jen away," he said. "Katie did a good job of making plays when she had the opportunities."
Berg scored eight points to lead the Ponies. Monticello will look to regroup when it hosts Argyle on Thursday, Dec. 22.
"We can't hang our heads," Eveland said. "This is just our second conference game. We just have to get better."
