Staff writer
The frontcourt battery of Krista Reimer and Addie Lackey led the way in a 57-32 Hillsboro victory over Smoky Valley on Friday in Hillsboro.
It was a breakout game for Reimer, who scored 18 points using her superior athleticism against 6-foot-1 Smoky Valley senior Kimi Lindshield. Reimer’s most impressive baskets were multiple attempts where she faked a dribble to her left, then drove into Lindshield, and finished the points by going up strong through the bigger player’s outstretched arms.
“She’s a lot more aggressive,” head coach Hiebert said of Reimer’s strong play. “We’ve been trying to get her to make the defense move when they’re playing behind her. She did that tonight.”
Reimer also denied Lindshield for most of the game on the defensive end of the floor. The Smoky Valley center scored 2 points, a figure Hiebert attributes to Reimer’s work fronting Lindshield most of the game. Reimer also collected 5 rebounds, 3 offensive, and added 2 steals and an assist.
“Kimi lost interest,” Hiebert said. “She’s a nice player. They haven’t won a lot of games. Those seasons are tough.”
Lackey scored 15 points, the majority of her 2-point baskets coming off drives in the lane. She also had 3 assists, multiple of which went to Reimer for easy baskets.
“It was fun to watch them work together,” Hiebert said of his two forwards. “Both of them came with a better mentality tonight.”
Lackey’s more important impact came on the defensive end of the floor. She recorded 4 steals, often harassing a guard until she turned the ball over. Lackey set the tone for the Trojans, who picked up 12 steals by pressuring Viking ball handlers.
“That’s been a focus for the last two or three years,” Hiebert said of the Trojans’ approach against Smoky Valley. “When they’re catching the ball 5 or 6 feet beyond the arc, they’re off balance.”
Starting with an 8-2 lead in the first quarter, Hillsboro never looked back on the way to victory. Eight Trojans scored in the game.
“I like that,” Hiebert said of the diverse scoring. “It puts more pressure on the defense.”
In a second straight game for the Trojans, reserve senior forward Amy Bartel came off the bench and provided the Trojans with a spark. Bartel picked up 6 points, a steal, and an assist. However, it was her energy and willingness to play tough in the post on defense is what made a difference for Hillsboro.
“I’m going to get more confident in her and she’s going to get more confident in herself,” Hiebert said of Bartel’s increased playing time.
The energy Bartel brought to the game Friday was indicative of what Hiebert saw from his team. It was a rebound game, making up for a loss to Sterling on Feb. 7 in Hillsboro.
The Trojans played Tuesday against Halstead in Halstead. Hillsboro plays Kingman Friday in Kingman.
statistics
Reimer: 18 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals; Lackey: 15 pts, 4 rebs, 3 asts, 4 steals, 1 blocks; Bartel: 6 pts, 1 ast, 1 stl; Callie Serene: 5 pts, 1 reb, 1 stl; Maci Schlehuber: 4 pts, 1 reb., 1 ast, 1 stl; Erin Winter: 4 pts, 2 reb; Stephanie Sanders: 3 pts, 1 ast, 1 stl; Danae Bina: 2 pts, 2 stls; Courtney Weber: 1 reb., 3 ast; Maddi Duerksen: 1 reb.