SOUTH WAYNE - A classic redemption story is usually told in three parts. First, there is an unabashed level of success followed by struggle and hardship. Finally, in the third act, the subject overcomes the struggle and returns to success.
For an undefeated team walloping opponents like Black Hawk has this season, it would be hard to believe there was actual redemption in a 69-43 nonconference win. But when broken down into three parts, it's not hard to make the comparison.
"That's the most points we've given up all year," Black Hawk head coach Mike Flanagan said after beating previously unbeaten Potosi (4-1) on Monday.
The Warriors (6-0), ranked No. 1 in the WisSports.net Coaches Poll, jumped out to as good of a start as anyone could have hoped. They hit their first five shots and led 15-0 before Potosi could even put a shot attempt into the air, all within the first three minutes.
But for the final 15 minutes of the first half, Potosi outscored Black Hawk 14-13, which left the Warriors with a semi-uncomfortable 27-14 lead.
"I think that sometimes you can be your own worst enemy, and some of those looks we were getting in the first half were very pure. It was just a matter of us not knocking them down," Flanagan said. "We've been so spoiled with our shooting success that when our kids saw a few of those in a row not go, a little bit of doubt came into their mind."
At halftime, the longtime coach challenged his team to find new ways to succeed.
"(At halftime) we really challenged them to get to the rim and to get to the free-throw line. I didn't think we did a good job in that first half of initiating the contact and taking the action to them," Flanagan said.
Natalie Leuzinger, a sophomore and the Warriors' leading scorer, knew the second half couldn't be treated the same as the first.
"(Coach) told us to get to the rim," she said. "We weren't up by as much as we wanted to be, and us on the court really wanted to step up our game and step up our pace."
Leuzinger scored 6 points in the first three minutes of the second half off of hustle plays - a putback on an offensive rebound and two coast-to-coast layups off steals. In total, Leuzinger finished with 19 points, six rebounds and five steals.
"The past few games our 3s have really been going in," Leuzinger said. "We had to drive to the basket and hopefully get some fouls called."
Black Hawk never found the stroke it had in the opening minutes of the game, but Flanagan's challenge of 15 free throws and getting to the paint in the second half was taken to heart. The Warriors were 6 of 9 from the charity stripe in the frame and made nearly twice as many buckets inside the arc as they had in the first half.
"I thought that once we challenged them to get to the line, they did that. When the shooters aren't hitting their shots, you might have to get to the rim a few times," Flanagan said.
While the Warriors know the 3-pointer won't be there each game, it didn't hurt that they hit 11 3s to 15 2s against Potosi. The Chieftains, meanwhile, hit 13 from 2 and just 4 from beyond the arc.
"(Potosi's Abby) Kaiser, let's not take anything away from her. She came in here averaging 30 points and got 15 against us and a lot of them came later," Flanagan said. "I thought for the most part that early we did a good job containing her."
Kaiser, a 5-10 senior, came into the game averaging 30.3 points per game and was held to just 15 against the Warriors - the final 6 coming against Black Hawk's bench players. Flanagan began to empty his bench with just under five minutes to play and his team ahead 62-29. Potosi's starters outscored the reserves 14-7 in the final five minutes.
"I thought our defense did pretty good until the end of the game. We had a lot of different kids in there and were trying to change things up," Flanagan said.
Freshman Bailey Butler scored 16 points with nine boards and six steals. Her sophomore sister, Hannah Butler, had 14 points, three rebounds and three steals. Sophia Langkamp had 11 points for Potosi.
The Warriors turn their attention to Thursday's game against Juda and then to Saturday against back-to-back Iowa state champions Springville in Dubuque.
"We have to work hard in practice and challenge each other to be ready," Leuzinger said.
For an undefeated team walloping opponents like Black Hawk has this season, it would be hard to believe there was actual redemption in a 69-43 nonconference win. But when broken down into three parts, it's not hard to make the comparison.
"That's the most points we've given up all year," Black Hawk head coach Mike Flanagan said after beating previously unbeaten Potosi (4-1) on Monday.
The Warriors (6-0), ranked No. 1 in the WisSports.net Coaches Poll, jumped out to as good of a start as anyone could have hoped. They hit their first five shots and led 15-0 before Potosi could even put a shot attempt into the air, all within the first three minutes.
But for the final 15 minutes of the first half, Potosi outscored Black Hawk 14-13, which left the Warriors with a semi-uncomfortable 27-14 lead.
"I think that sometimes you can be your own worst enemy, and some of those looks we were getting in the first half were very pure. It was just a matter of us not knocking them down," Flanagan said. "We've been so spoiled with our shooting success that when our kids saw a few of those in a row not go, a little bit of doubt came into their mind."
At halftime, the longtime coach challenged his team to find new ways to succeed.
"(At halftime) we really challenged them to get to the rim and to get to the free-throw line. I didn't think we did a good job in that first half of initiating the contact and taking the action to them," Flanagan said.
Natalie Leuzinger, a sophomore and the Warriors' leading scorer, knew the second half couldn't be treated the same as the first.
"(Coach) told us to get to the rim," she said. "We weren't up by as much as we wanted to be, and us on the court really wanted to step up our game and step up our pace."
Leuzinger scored 6 points in the first three minutes of the second half off of hustle plays - a putback on an offensive rebound and two coast-to-coast layups off steals. In total, Leuzinger finished with 19 points, six rebounds and five steals.
"The past few games our 3s have really been going in," Leuzinger said. "We had to drive to the basket and hopefully get some fouls called."
Black Hawk never found the stroke it had in the opening minutes of the game, but Flanagan's challenge of 15 free throws and getting to the paint in the second half was taken to heart. The Warriors were 6 of 9 from the charity stripe in the frame and made nearly twice as many buckets inside the arc as they had in the first half.
"I thought that once we challenged them to get to the line, they did that. When the shooters aren't hitting their shots, you might have to get to the rim a few times," Flanagan said.
While the Warriors know the 3-pointer won't be there each game, it didn't hurt that they hit 11 3s to 15 2s against Potosi. The Chieftains, meanwhile, hit 13 from 2 and just 4 from beyond the arc.
"(Potosi's Abby) Kaiser, let's not take anything away from her. She came in here averaging 30 points and got 15 against us and a lot of them came later," Flanagan said. "I thought for the most part that early we did a good job containing her."
Kaiser, a 5-10 senior, came into the game averaging 30.3 points per game and was held to just 15 against the Warriors - the final 6 coming against Black Hawk's bench players. Flanagan began to empty his bench with just under five minutes to play and his team ahead 62-29. Potosi's starters outscored the reserves 14-7 in the final five minutes.
"I thought our defense did pretty good until the end of the game. We had a lot of different kids in there and were trying to change things up," Flanagan said.
Freshman Bailey Butler scored 16 points with nine boards and six steals. Her sophomore sister, Hannah Butler, had 14 points, three rebounds and three steals. Sophia Langkamp had 11 points for Potosi.
The Warriors turn their attention to Thursday's game against Juda and then to Saturday against back-to-back Iowa state champions Springville in Dubuque.
"We have to work hard in practice and challenge each other to be ready," Leuzinger said.
