Cold-shooting start cant slow Tigers

Staff

Published Thursday, December 28, 2006

By Jeff Budlong, sports editor

It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t pretty as the shooting percentage points out, but the Albert Lea girls’ basketball team stayed persistent and downed Henry Sibley 62-50 to advance to the championship game of the Tiger Basketball Classic.

The Tigers looked to be the superior team from the tip, but even superior teams can have troubles when the shots simply won’t fall. That was the case for Albert Lea in the first half as it missed numerous shots from 10 feet and in shooting near 20 percent from the floor.

The Tigers grabbed 18 offensive rebounds in the first half, but went into halftime feeling fortunate to be up five at 28-23.

“That was lucky on our part and that was due partly to perseverance and just not quitting,” Tiger head coach Karol Hansen said. “When one part of your game isn’t working you have to focus on another, but it is tough because so much PR goes behind points.”

Despite the fact the shots were not falling they were still quality attempts with the Tigers taking care of the basketball and looking to put it in the painted area.

“We want to create an opportunity with every possession and that is something you can’t do if you are turning it over,” Hansen said. “This was one of our better games in cutting down the turnovers and we outrebounded them, too.”

Ali Demmer led the team with nine first half points and finished tied for the team-high along with Niki Hendrickson with 15. Liz Thompson played one of her most complete games and finished with 13 on the night.

Names like Whitney Wilson, Leah Walters, Jaclyn Rehmke and Abbey Arends did not look big on the stat sheet, but like they have done all season, they produced one big play after another to help keep Albert Lea in the lead throughout.

The victory was the fourth in a row for the Tigers (7-2) after dropping tough back-to-back conference games to Owatonna and Rochester John Marshall.

“The thing they learned (against JM) is you have to put together two halves,” Hansen said.

“Defensive effort is so key for us, and I thought we could have done even better tonight.”

Henry Sibley would pull within a single point of the lead at 38-37 with little more than 10 minutes left. However, Thompson would bury a 3-pointer, and despite Hali Hendrickson fouling out with more than five minutes remaining, the Tigers finally opened up a double-digit lead in the final minutes.

Albert Lea will face No. 9 Cannon Falls tonight at 6 p.m. in the championship game. Cannon Falls, which has a 7-2 record, downed Farmington 67-58 to advance.

Albert Lea 62, Henry Sibley 50

Albert Lea - Ali Demmer 15, Niki Hendrickson 15, Liz Thompson 13, Hali Hendrickson 8, Whitney Wilson 5, Cara Thorn 2, Abbey Arends 2, Leah Walters 2

---

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?

---