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Posted March 7, 2008

Girls basketball: Royals' run done

By Mark Massoglia
Daily Tribune staff
Mark.massoglia@cwnews.net

NEW LONDON -- In the end, the things that the Assumption girls could control let them down.

On a night when the Royals did so many things right, a 6 for 21 performance at the free throw line was a difference maker in a 52-41 setback to Menasha St. Mary Central in a WIAA Division 4 sectional semifinal game on Thursday night at New London High School.

The Zephyrs (21-3) face Niagara, a 69-52 winner over Wabeno, for the sectional championship on Friday at 7 p.m. at Waupaca High School.

"Our free throws just would not sink," a teary-eyed Liz Sigler said after the game. "We're usually a pretty good free throw shooting team, but not tonight."

The vast majority of the Royals' shots from the line fell short, clanking of the front of the rim.

The Zephyrs were not outstanding from the line either (15 for 28), but made enough down the stretch when the Royals were forced to foul.

"We're about a 70 percent free throw shooting team, but you wouldn't have guessed that tonight," Zephyrs coach Jeff Chew said. "Assumption took some things away from us with their defense in the first half and when we did have looks, we weren't knocking them down."

Early on the Royals' tough man-to-man defense limited the Zephyrs to few good shots. When Assumption had the ball, its inside presence, junior Lizzy Slovensky was nearly unstoppable. The 6-foot post player not only scored a team-high 14 points, spread out nicely in the first and fourth quarters, but she also blocked eight shots.

Trailing by six early in the second quarter, the Royals went on a 10-0 run during a three-minute stretch that gave them their first lead of the game at 21-20 with 3:51 left in the half. By outscoring the Zephyrs 16-4 in the quarter, the Royals had a 27-22 lead at the break.

"I thought we wore them down a little in the second quarter and we made some good decisions in the post and hit some big shots," said Royals assistant coach Dean Kaetterhenry, who assumed the head coaching duties for Joe Birkhauser, who sat out the game as part of a self-imposed suspension due to a WIAA violation. "In the third quarter their pressure got to us and we struggled to get the ball inside.

"The game came down to free throws and we didn't make them. The girls have nothing to be ashamed of. They played their hearts out and so did St. Mary's."

That was because the Zephyrs managed to get Slovensky out of the lane and they started making some baskets, thanks to Reegan Cheslock and Rachel Brown, who led the Zephyrs with 14 and nine points, respectively.

Despite getting outscored 14-11 in the third, the Royals still led 38-36. The lead faded quickly in the final quarter as the Zephyrs gained the advantage for good with 5:21 left.

"It never feels good to lose, but a 21-3 record is pretty good," Sigler said. "It was an exciting senior season of basketball."

Zephyrs 52, Royals 41

St. Mary Central 18 4 14 14 -- 52

Assumption 11 16 11 5 -- 41

ST. MARY CENTRAL (52): Melissa Michalkiewicz 6, Rachel Brown 9, Reegan Cheslock 14, Brittany Schaffer 8, Alyssa Benrud 8, Maggie Pawlowski 7. Totals: 16-43 15-28 52.

ASSUMPTION (41): Lizzy Slovensky 14, Jada Straub 8, Hannah Osowski 9, Liz Sigler 6, Emily Heeg 4. Totals 17-53 6-21 41.

3-pointers: St. Mary Central 5-12 (Michalkiewicz, Cheslock 2, Schaffer 2); Assumption 1-7 (Straub).

Records: St. Mary Central 21-3; Assumption 21-3.

Members of the Assumption girls basketball team show their emotions after losing to Menasah St. Mary Central on Thursday in a WIAA Division 4 sectional semifinal at New London. TOM LOUCKS/Daily Tribune