ARGYLE - Junior Hannah Saalsaa didn't start at the beginning of the season for the Argyle girls basketball team. Saalsaa's emergence in the starting lineup is one sign of how much the Orioles have worked to build a winning tradition.
Saalsaa scored a team-high 15 points and had nine rebounds and senior teammate Jessica Treuthardt scored 15 points and had 13 rebounds to lead Argyle back before losing a nail-biter 56-52 to East Dubuque in overtime Friday, January 31.
"Everyone has to earn their role on the team," Saalsaa said. "We all played 100 percent. Our team has worked so hard and that makes it even better. We are really hungry for a win. We are not a below .500 team."
Argyle (5-7, 4-4 Six Rivers East) committed 29 turnovers and the Warriors had a big edge on the free throw line 52-18. The Warriors (13-5) were 27 of 52.
"There were a couple of girls in the locker room crying because we had some turnovers late," Argyle coach Kurt Ritschard said. "They had nothing to be crying about. One play or person doesn't win or lose the game. It's absolutely ridiculous they shot 52 free throws and we shot 18. The officials didn't win or lose the game, but that didn't help. We are a team on the cusp of winning. The last two years we have lost to them (East Dubuque) by an average of 30 points. It just goes to show the kids are starting to buy in to what we are doing."
East Dubuque senior Kalyn Theill scored a game-high 23 points and senior Michaela Marty scored 20 points. Saalsaa knocked down a jumper with 1:37 left in the overtime to tie the game at 52. Marty made 6 of 8 free throws in the extra session to key the win. She made two free throws with 22.6 seconds to go, but the Orioles had one final chance. Argyle junior Kylie Johnsen was fouled shooting a 3-pointer with 6.4 seconds to go, but missed each free throw.
"I told them I was really proud of their effort," Ritschard said. "They put everything they had on the floor. We had some key turnovers late, but I told them that is basketball."
Both teams had opportunities to win the game at the end of regulation. Johnsen drilled a 3-pointer with 3 minutes, 1 second left in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 46. Treuthardt scored on a layup with 2:06 to go to give the Orioles a 48-46 lead. East Dubuque junior Abby Berryman made 1 of 2 free throws with 1:14 to go to tie the game at 48 to send it to overtime.
Argyle got off to a hot start behind Saalsaa who scored six points in the first quarter to help the Orioles jump out to a six point lead. The Warriors went on a 10-1 run in the second quarter to take the lead. The Orioles answered by using their fullcourt press to create turnovers. Treuthardt scored on a putback and then the Orioles picked up the defensive pressure. Two steals on the press led to layups by junior Jenna Langmeier and junior Jozey Thoman to help the Orioles take a 25-22 lead at the half. Despite 14 first half turnovers, the Orioles were still in the driver's seat at the half.
"The press is our bread and butter," Saalsaa said.
The Orioles used Saalsaa and Treuthardt in the post to attack the Warriors' 2-1-2 zone. Ritschard credited his post players for being active looking to get to the basket and making the extra pass.
"She's a very unselfish player," he said of Saalsaa. "She has been playing so consistent for us. I think she has worked her way into our starting lineup. I thought we executed on offense well. We just have to make a couple more shots."
The Orioles trailed by as many as seven points in the second half before mounting a comeback. Langmeier hit a 3-pointer to give the Orioles a five point lead. She then knocked down a baseline jumper to extend the lead to 34-27. Marty converted a conventional three-point play and Theill drilled a 3-pointer to help the Warriors take a 38-36 lead at the end of the third quarter.
"We held their best player (Marty) to two field goals and she scores 20 because she gets to the free throw line 21 times," Ritschard said.
In addition to the free throw shooting edge, the Warriors grabbed nine offensive rebounds in the second half that led to several second-chance scoring opportunities.
"We have to do a better job of boxing out," Ritschard said. "At times it was our positioning. Sometimes it comes down to who wants it more. It's something we will have to clean up in practice."
Saalsaa scored a team-high 15 points and had nine rebounds and senior teammate Jessica Treuthardt scored 15 points and had 13 rebounds to lead Argyle back before losing a nail-biter 56-52 to East Dubuque in overtime Friday, January 31.
"Everyone has to earn their role on the team," Saalsaa said. "We all played 100 percent. Our team has worked so hard and that makes it even better. We are really hungry for a win. We are not a below .500 team."
Argyle (5-7, 4-4 Six Rivers East) committed 29 turnovers and the Warriors had a big edge on the free throw line 52-18. The Warriors (13-5) were 27 of 52.
"There were a couple of girls in the locker room crying because we had some turnovers late," Argyle coach Kurt Ritschard said. "They had nothing to be crying about. One play or person doesn't win or lose the game. It's absolutely ridiculous they shot 52 free throws and we shot 18. The officials didn't win or lose the game, but that didn't help. We are a team on the cusp of winning. The last two years we have lost to them (East Dubuque) by an average of 30 points. It just goes to show the kids are starting to buy in to what we are doing."
East Dubuque senior Kalyn Theill scored a game-high 23 points and senior Michaela Marty scored 20 points. Saalsaa knocked down a jumper with 1:37 left in the overtime to tie the game at 52. Marty made 6 of 8 free throws in the extra session to key the win. She made two free throws with 22.6 seconds to go, but the Orioles had one final chance. Argyle junior Kylie Johnsen was fouled shooting a 3-pointer with 6.4 seconds to go, but missed each free throw.
"I told them I was really proud of their effort," Ritschard said. "They put everything they had on the floor. We had some key turnovers late, but I told them that is basketball."
Both teams had opportunities to win the game at the end of regulation. Johnsen drilled a 3-pointer with 3 minutes, 1 second left in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 46. Treuthardt scored on a layup with 2:06 to go to give the Orioles a 48-46 lead. East Dubuque junior Abby Berryman made 1 of 2 free throws with 1:14 to go to tie the game at 48 to send it to overtime.
Argyle got off to a hot start behind Saalsaa who scored six points in the first quarter to help the Orioles jump out to a six point lead. The Warriors went on a 10-1 run in the second quarter to take the lead. The Orioles answered by using their fullcourt press to create turnovers. Treuthardt scored on a putback and then the Orioles picked up the defensive pressure. Two steals on the press led to layups by junior Jenna Langmeier and junior Jozey Thoman to help the Orioles take a 25-22 lead at the half. Despite 14 first half turnovers, the Orioles were still in the driver's seat at the half.
"The press is our bread and butter," Saalsaa said.
The Orioles used Saalsaa and Treuthardt in the post to attack the Warriors' 2-1-2 zone. Ritschard credited his post players for being active looking to get to the basket and making the extra pass.
"She's a very unselfish player," he said of Saalsaa. "She has been playing so consistent for us. I think she has worked her way into our starting lineup. I thought we executed on offense well. We just have to make a couple more shots."
The Orioles trailed by as many as seven points in the second half before mounting a comeback. Langmeier hit a 3-pointer to give the Orioles a five point lead. She then knocked down a baseline jumper to extend the lead to 34-27. Marty converted a conventional three-point play and Theill drilled a 3-pointer to help the Warriors take a 38-36 lead at the end of the third quarter.
"We held their best player (Marty) to two field goals and she scores 20 because she gets to the free throw line 21 times," Ritschard said.
In addition to the free throw shooting edge, the Warriors grabbed nine offensive rebounds in the second half that led to several second-chance scoring opportunities.
"We have to do a better job of boxing out," Ritschard said. "At times it was our positioning. Sometimes it comes down to who wants it more. It's something we will have to clean up in practice."
