JUDA - One team picked up a key win on Thursday, while the other got the return of big player. In Thursday's Six Rivers East showdown, Juda (13-3, 4-2) kept itself in conference contention, but Albany saw the return of Kaitlyn Schulz, a post player lost since the volleyball season.
"The girls knew this was an important game for conference," Panthers coach Curt Brown said of his team's 57-43 win. "It's important for seeding two. Because it's now five divisions, our bracket is our conference. We want to get a home game."
The win, No. 13 for Juda, is a school record for a season.
Albany, which made it all the way to the basketball sectional semifinal last season, lost Schulz in the regional finals of volleyball on Oct. 22, 2010, to a concussion. Slowly working her way back onto the court, Schulz hopes her seven points and gritty play in the lane against 6-foot-2 Ellen Kiser will bode well for things to come.
"I wanted to make a good impression on the conference. I tried my hardest," said the senior post player, who fouled out late in the fourth. "When I was sitting out, I saw that our team needs to box out more, so that's the one thing I tried my hardest on. Ellen's a good player and it's hard against her.
"I gained a lot of confidence. My teammates told me to shoot when I was wide open and then I made some too, so that was good."
Kiser had a dandy of a time in the post against the Comets (8-5, 3-3), scoring a game-high 28 points and adding 22 rebounds. Many of Kiser's rebounds came on second- and third-chance shots.
"We tried a couple of different things against her (Kiser). We tried fronting and doubling up on her," Albany coach Bryce Pickett said. "Ultimately what worked out the best was when we just isolated her as much as we could. That forced their other scorers to step up. Fortunately for them they had other girls step up and they were able to get some easy baskets."
Juda got quality outings from Alycia Grenzow and Aly Pierce. Grenzow scored 12 points, including eight in the first half, and Pierce had 13, with three 3-pointers in the second half.
"Alycia Grenzow is maybe our best shooter as a post. She can really stretch a defense," Brown said. "Aly Pierce had a couple of games where she struggled, but she came out tonight and had her feet set. When she does that she can make them all the time. She's just as deadly as anybody."
Juda got out to an early lead, posting a 10-6 advantage after the first quarter and 22-14 mark at halftime.
"I think our intensity really picked up in that second half," said Pickett, whose team struggled from the field in the first half. "Unfortunately we have to play a full four quarters to be successful in this league. It seems like when we're turning it on sometimes, it's not at the right time."
In the second half, the Comets picked up the scoring, but Kiser and the Panthers forced their way to the free-throw line.
"One thing this team has done is they're ready to play every game," Brown said. "Sometimes they are really fired up and I don't have to say a whole lot. We need all of our pieces every night."
Albany hit three 3s and scored 29 points in the second half, but Juda went 12 of 18 from the line in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
"It does a lot to get a win like this. I think on any given night, us and Barneveld and Black Hawk and Albany are pretty even. We were lucky tonight," Brown said. "It's a good step in the right direction."
Cassidy Bump had a team-high 11 points for the Comets. Hillary Best and Courtney Pfeuti each had eight and Sydney Bump added six before fouling out.
Albany hosts conference leader Black Hawk (14-0, 6-0) on Tuesday while Juda travels to Barneveld (8-5, 4-1).
"The girls knew this was an important game for conference," Panthers coach Curt Brown said of his team's 57-43 win. "It's important for seeding two. Because it's now five divisions, our bracket is our conference. We want to get a home game."
The win, No. 13 for Juda, is a school record for a season.
Albany, which made it all the way to the basketball sectional semifinal last season, lost Schulz in the regional finals of volleyball on Oct. 22, 2010, to a concussion. Slowly working her way back onto the court, Schulz hopes her seven points and gritty play in the lane against 6-foot-2 Ellen Kiser will bode well for things to come.
"I wanted to make a good impression on the conference. I tried my hardest," said the senior post player, who fouled out late in the fourth. "When I was sitting out, I saw that our team needs to box out more, so that's the one thing I tried my hardest on. Ellen's a good player and it's hard against her.
"I gained a lot of confidence. My teammates told me to shoot when I was wide open and then I made some too, so that was good."
Kiser had a dandy of a time in the post against the Comets (8-5, 3-3), scoring a game-high 28 points and adding 22 rebounds. Many of Kiser's rebounds came on second- and third-chance shots.
"We tried a couple of different things against her (Kiser). We tried fronting and doubling up on her," Albany coach Bryce Pickett said. "Ultimately what worked out the best was when we just isolated her as much as we could. That forced their other scorers to step up. Fortunately for them they had other girls step up and they were able to get some easy baskets."
Juda got quality outings from Alycia Grenzow and Aly Pierce. Grenzow scored 12 points, including eight in the first half, and Pierce had 13, with three 3-pointers in the second half.
"Alycia Grenzow is maybe our best shooter as a post. She can really stretch a defense," Brown said. "Aly Pierce had a couple of games where she struggled, but she came out tonight and had her feet set. When she does that she can make them all the time. She's just as deadly as anybody."
Juda got out to an early lead, posting a 10-6 advantage after the first quarter and 22-14 mark at halftime.
"I think our intensity really picked up in that second half," said Pickett, whose team struggled from the field in the first half. "Unfortunately we have to play a full four quarters to be successful in this league. It seems like when we're turning it on sometimes, it's not at the right time."
In the second half, the Comets picked up the scoring, but Kiser and the Panthers forced their way to the free-throw line.
"One thing this team has done is they're ready to play every game," Brown said. "Sometimes they are really fired up and I don't have to say a whole lot. We need all of our pieces every night."
Albany hit three 3s and scored 29 points in the second half, but Juda went 12 of 18 from the line in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
"It does a lot to get a win like this. I think on any given night, us and Barneveld and Black Hawk and Albany are pretty even. We were lucky tonight," Brown said. "It's a good step in the right direction."
Cassidy Bump had a team-high 11 points for the Comets. Hillary Best and Courtney Pfeuti each had eight and Sydney Bump added six before fouling out.
Albany hosts conference leader Black Hawk (14-0, 6-0) on Tuesday while Juda travels to Barneveld (8-5, 4-1).
