Last Updated: Wednesday, January 3, 2007 1:35 PM CST
Learning curve
By Dave Schneider - DAILY NEWS SPORTS
Young Crandon squad matures in victory over Tomahawk
Coach Jim Bradley is watching the young Lady Cardinals basketball lineup improve as the season progresses after Crandon lost the core of last year's senior-dominated team to graduation. This year's version got their first win of the season at the expense of the visiting Hatchets Tuesday night by holding off a late Tomahawk rally for a 49-44 victory at Crandon High School.
The Northern Lakes Conference Cardinals went out to a 13-point lead early in the final eight minutes only to have the Lumberjack Conference Hatchets fight back to within a point in the final seconds.
“We moved the ball a lot better in the third quarter, but Tomahawk is a scrappy team that was also hungry for the win and fought back,” said the Crandon coach. “We have a young team - starting three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior - so it is a learning experience every day we step on the court. If we can continue to get two or three kids in double figures we will be more competitive. I'm proud of the way all our girls played hard tonight.”
Cardinal sophomore Kathryn Mattson heated up for 15 points to share high-game honors with Hatchet senior Kim Kuber. Tomahawk coach Stacy Bolder noted the Hatchet game plan failed to develop while the team struggled at times from the charity stripe.
“We tried to get the ball in the post but Kuber was getting pretty swarmed in there,” said coach Bolder. “We missed a lot of opportunities at the free throw line and that was disappointing. The girls always play with a lot of heart and with our style of play we can be down and come back pretty quickly - that was good to see.”
Meanwhile, Mattson nailed three timely three pointers in the Crandon win and earned the praise of coach Bradley.
“Kathryn has been holding back a little bit but tonight she stepped out of the box,” the Cardinal coach said.
Crandon held two-point leads after the first and second quarter ended before putting together a 5-0 run early in the third to edge ahead 30-24. Three pointers by freshman Marissa Tupper and Mattson quickly turned the home team's advantage to ten at 38-28.
The Cardinals enjoyed their largest lead of the evening at 45-32 a minute into the fourth quarter when Tomahawk steadily climbed back with a 10-0 scoring run to get within striking distance at 45-44, capped off by two Kuber free throws with :19 remaining. On the ensuing inbounds play, the Cardinals found Mattson behind the Hatchet defense with a long pass that the Crandon sophomore turned into a breakaway basket. Cardinal freshman Jacee Anderson hit two foul shots as time ran out on the Hatchet comeback to give Crandon their first win of the season at 49-44.
Besides Mattson and Kuber's game-high 15 points, Tuesday's scoring line read Crandon freshman Jenna Bradley with 12 points, Tupper 8, Anderson 6, Cardinal junior Kylinn Engebretson 4 and sophomore Sarah Weber 4. For Tomahawk, senior Brittany Rosensteil had 14 points, senior Amanda Swenty 8, with Hatchet juniors Jennifer Timm and Jordyn VanStrydonk adding 3 points each.
“Kuber usually plays a solid game with a double-double or triple-double and Brittany has been bringing a solid game for us by scoring in double figures,” added Hatchet coach Bolder. “It was also good to see Amanda step up with her scoring tonight.”
Both teams return to conference action when Crandon travels to White Lake on Thursday, Jan. 4 and Tomahawk hits the bus for a road matchup with state-ranked Park Falls on Friday, Jan. 5.
Crandon coach Bradley noted, “It will be a tough game for us at White Lake, but we are looking forward to a chance to start our 2007 season with two wins.”
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Tomahawk’s Kim Kuber is fouled by Crandon’s Jacee Anderson while going up for a shot in the fourth quarter. (Photo by Dave Schneider/Daily News)
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