Onekama High School Girls' Basketball 2011-2012

Sabers edge Portagers in district QF

Matt Wenzel, Manistee News Advocate
February 27, 2012

BRETHREN — In a game in which Onekama’s freshmen had a huge impact, Manistee Catholic Central’s experience might have been the difference.

The Sabers, who are the defending Class D district champions and regional finalists, overcame a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter and scored the final six points of the game for 52-47 win against the Portagers in a district quarterfinal at Brethren on Monday night.

“I think that helped us a little,” MCC coach Todd Erickson said of his team’s experience. “I think we made some good decisions when we had the opportunities at the end.”

Trailing by one with less than a minute to play, MCC sophomore Alysha Heck scored to put the Sabers up one, hit a pair of free throws 28 seconds later to add some cushion and Amber Robke scored on a wide-open layup late to ice the game.

“I think towards the end we came out harder and worked together to push the ball,” Heck said. “I think it all came down to everybody wanting to win.”

Heck finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, Jordan Barnett had 12 points and 11 rebounds (nine offensive) and Haley Doyle scored 14 to go with seven boards, four assists, four steals and four blocks for the Sabers (12-9), who advance to play host Brethren in a semifinal on Wednesday.

Freshmen accounted for 30 of Onekama’s 47 points. Haley Kott led the way with 13 while a pair of junior varsity call-ups hit big shots in their first varsity game. Kayla Kosiboski scored 10 and had six rebounds while Caitlin Zielinski had five, including a triple.

“They’ve been playing good all year on the JVs,” said Onekama coach Nathan Bradford. “I kind of had a feeling they’d come up and do a good job and they gave us a big lift tonight.”

Senior Jennica Mathieu had nine points and five rebounds before fouling out while Danielle Ward led the Portagers (8-11) with 10 rebounds and four steals.

“It comes down to the end,” Mathieu said after playing her final game. “You’ve got to finish strong.”

Onekama struggled scoring early and made just one field goal in the first quarter, but only trailed 10-5. Mathieu scored six in the second quarter to pull her team within one at 16-15 before both offenses clicked in the third with a combined 33 points.

Kott took over and sliced through the defense on her way to eight points while Zielinski scored five and Kosiboski the final four to put the Portagers ahead 34-30 heading into the fourth.

Kosiboski hit back-to-back buckets — the second of which resulted in a 3-point play — to give the Portagers their biggest lead of the game at 39-32 with 6:44 to play.

A big swing came on a highly-unusual play midway through the quarter. Trailing 42-37, Barnett scored and drew a foul and headed to the line for one shot. However, all 10 girls on the floor thought she was shooting a pair, so when Barnett missed the free throw, the ball just bounced in the lane before she figured it out, picked it up and scored uncontested to pull her team within a point.

“I went up to her to give her a high-five and tell her to get the next one and all of a sudden she shot,” Heck said. “I started laughing and was like, ‘what the heck is going on?’”

The play wasn’t as funny for the Portagers.

“What are the odds of every girl on both teams standing and watching?” Bradford asked. “That was a four-point swing right there. That took a little air out of our sail.”

Kosiboski split a pair at the line with 1:06 left to give her team a 47-46 lead, but it was all MCC from there as Heck drove to the lane, scored and was fouled.

“I was looking for the foul,” Heck said, “but I got the bucket and that made it even better.”