SOUTH WAYNE - Let this be a notice to the Six Rivers Conference - Black Hawk's girls basketball team can run, run, run.
Monticello found out the hard way Thursday, after suiting up just seven players for the Warriors' 60-25 win over the Ponies.
"We got in foul trouble early," Monticello head coach Paul Wedig said. "Having two kids on the bench really hurts you. You have to pull kids for breaks."
Monticello got caught into foul trouble early and often. The Ponies were whistled for 11 fouls in the first half and 20 total. Three players received their third foul in the second quarter.
"To get a third girl in foul trouble - then it's just crossing your fingers and hoping they don't foul out," Wedig said. "Then we couldn't sub as much as we wanted to."
After Monday's slow start in a shellacking of Warren (Ill.), Black Hawk head coach Mike Flanagan still saw areas where improvement was needed. Three days later, Flanagan's team may have little to worry about.
"We didn't come out flat - which was a problem Monday night," Flanagan said. "I was a little worried after that snowstorm yesterday of how we would respond."
Though it took more than a minute to score, the Warriors soon found their stride. Black Hawk, the No. 5 ranked team in the WisSports.net Division 4 Coaches Poll, used a pressure zone mixed in with good defense and a lot of transition offense to generate a 15-2 lead after the first quarter.
"Overall, we played our style of game, which is to push the tempo and have a high possession game," Flanagan said.
The Warriors' top shooter, Paige Butler, had to sit through much of both the first and second quarters with her own foul troubles, but Black Hawk never slowed down.
After two quick baseline jumpers by Monticello freshman Desiree Marty, Black Hawk went on to score the next 17 points via both field goals and free throws - though the Warriors finished making just 13 of 23 shots from the charity stripe.
Monticello got one last tally on the board before halftime, putting the score at the break 36-8.
"We have to be fundamentally strong. We had a lot of turnovers and most of them were because we weren't fundamentally strong," Wedig said. "They just need to believe that they can come out and hang with a team like Black Hawk - and I don't think they believe that yet. We just have to be mentally tough."
Fortunately for Monticello, only one Pony fouled out. But it could have been worse.
"If we lost three girls, we would have had to run a 2-2 zone," Wedig said. "And we don't run any zone, so it might have ended up uglier than it was."
Black Hawk continued to mix its lineup, looking for chemistry and the influence of its veterans on the younger players. Flanagan was pleased was with his saw in both halves.
"We got a lot of kids in the game and we're getting into our new rotations. They're tough rotations, too, because we're subbing so often. Kids sometimes struggle at first getting into a flow when they're only given three minutes at a time," Flanagan said.
Marty led Monticello with eight points and Sarah Silver added seven.
"I thought Desiree Marty played really well for us. We went into halftime and coach (Nikki Updike) and I told them we needed to be more aggressive. She stepped up and wasn't afraid to take those shots," Wedig said.
Kim Wellnitz scored a game-high 17 points for Black Hawk. Butler scored 10 and Melissa Wellnitz added 12. Flanagan was pleased to find yet another shooter surpass double digits in scoring.
"Melissa Wellnitz had one heck of a game tonight and really stepped up for us," Flanagan said. "When teams come after you, you have to show you can play. They'll try to take away your top players. But if you can find girls who can find ways to score and to contribute in a variety of ways, then you're going to be a pretty good basketball team."
Flanagan continued praising his team.
"A lot of kids do a lot of different things very well. I'm a very lucky guy to have a lot of kids who like to work hard, who love to play basketball, and who have some abilities that they can bring to the table," he said.
Black Hawk (4-0, 1-0 Six Rivers East) next plays Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Juda. Monticello (0-3, 0-1) takes on highway rival New Glarus on Monday, Dec. 8.
Monticello found out the hard way Thursday, after suiting up just seven players for the Warriors' 60-25 win over the Ponies.
"We got in foul trouble early," Monticello head coach Paul Wedig said. "Having two kids on the bench really hurts you. You have to pull kids for breaks."
Monticello got caught into foul trouble early and often. The Ponies were whistled for 11 fouls in the first half and 20 total. Three players received their third foul in the second quarter.
"To get a third girl in foul trouble - then it's just crossing your fingers and hoping they don't foul out," Wedig said. "Then we couldn't sub as much as we wanted to."
After Monday's slow start in a shellacking of Warren (Ill.), Black Hawk head coach Mike Flanagan still saw areas where improvement was needed. Three days later, Flanagan's team may have little to worry about.
"We didn't come out flat - which was a problem Monday night," Flanagan said. "I was a little worried after that snowstorm yesterday of how we would respond."
Though it took more than a minute to score, the Warriors soon found their stride. Black Hawk, the No. 5 ranked team in the WisSports.net Division 4 Coaches Poll, used a pressure zone mixed in with good defense and a lot of transition offense to generate a 15-2 lead after the first quarter.
"Overall, we played our style of game, which is to push the tempo and have a high possession game," Flanagan said.
The Warriors' top shooter, Paige Butler, had to sit through much of both the first and second quarters with her own foul troubles, but Black Hawk never slowed down.
After two quick baseline jumpers by Monticello freshman Desiree Marty, Black Hawk went on to score the next 17 points via both field goals and free throws - though the Warriors finished making just 13 of 23 shots from the charity stripe.
Monticello got one last tally on the board before halftime, putting the score at the break 36-8.
"We have to be fundamentally strong. We had a lot of turnovers and most of them were because we weren't fundamentally strong," Wedig said. "They just need to believe that they can come out and hang with a team like Black Hawk - and I don't think they believe that yet. We just have to be mentally tough."
Fortunately for Monticello, only one Pony fouled out. But it could have been worse.
"If we lost three girls, we would have had to run a 2-2 zone," Wedig said. "And we don't run any zone, so it might have ended up uglier than it was."
Black Hawk continued to mix its lineup, looking for chemistry and the influence of its veterans on the younger players. Flanagan was pleased was with his saw in both halves.
"We got a lot of kids in the game and we're getting into our new rotations. They're tough rotations, too, because we're subbing so often. Kids sometimes struggle at first getting into a flow when they're only given three minutes at a time," Flanagan said.
Marty led Monticello with eight points and Sarah Silver added seven.
"I thought Desiree Marty played really well for us. We went into halftime and coach (Nikki Updike) and I told them we needed to be more aggressive. She stepped up and wasn't afraid to take those shots," Wedig said.
Kim Wellnitz scored a game-high 17 points for Black Hawk. Butler scored 10 and Melissa Wellnitz added 12. Flanagan was pleased to find yet another shooter surpass double digits in scoring.
"Melissa Wellnitz had one heck of a game tonight and really stepped up for us," Flanagan said. "When teams come after you, you have to show you can play. They'll try to take away your top players. But if you can find girls who can find ways to score and to contribute in a variety of ways, then you're going to be a pretty good basketball team."
Flanagan continued praising his team.
"A lot of kids do a lot of different things very well. I'm a very lucky guy to have a lot of kids who like to work hard, who love to play basketball, and who have some abilities that they can bring to the table," he said.
Black Hawk (4-0, 1-0 Six Rivers East) next plays Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Juda. Monticello (0-3, 0-1) takes on highway rival New Glarus on Monday, Dec. 8.
