Defeat 2 teams who will be in substate
News editor
The Hillsboro High School girls’ basketball team swept the Moundridge Tournament last week. After defeating Lyons on Dec. 10, they faced Inman on Thursday and Moundridge on Friday, winning both games. Inman and Moundridge will both be in Hillsboro’s substate tournament in March at Berean Academy.
“We want to set a tone with any 2A school we see,” head coach Nathan Hiebert said.
Foul trouble, no trouble against Inman
Starters Addie Lackey and Danae Bina spent much of the Trojans’ game Thursday against Inman on the bench with foul trouble, but the matchup was no trouble as reserve guards Allison Weber and Tara Proffitt stepped up.
The Trojans were slow to heat up, trailing 6-3 just over three minutes into the game, but Alex Ratzlaff hit back-to-back baskets to take the lead, 7-6. Hillsboro gradually built a 10-point lead in the first quarter, when Lackey hit a 3-pointer to break Inman’s zone defense.
Lackey picked up her second foul with 0.3 seconds left in the first quarter, and Bina picked up her second foul 25 seconds into the second quarter. Ratzlaff picked up a lot of the scoring load with Lackey and Bina sidelined. She finished the game with 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting to lead all scorers.
Weber continued her trend of shooting very well on just a few shots, scoring 8 points on 3-of-4 shooting. Hiebert complimented the work she did getting to her spots and being ready to shoot. Proffitt hit both of her shots to score 4 points.
“They did a really nice job,” Hiebert said.
He said Weber and Proffitt do a good job making up for their lack of height by boxing out well when a shot goes up. Hiebert said it is good to know reserve players can contribute with good play when starters have to come out, rather than just filling minutes.
Darcy Heinrichs and Courtney Troyer split time covering Inman’s 6-footer Naomi Williams. They limited her to 7 points on 3-of-10 shooting, and Heinrichs blocked a shot and stole an entry pass intended for Williams.
After trailing 6-3, Hillsboro went on a 32-8 run to finish the first half ahead 35-14. The Trojans continued to increase their lead to 58-20 at the end of the third quarter, and a running clock went on in the fourth quarter. Hillsboro won 62-22.
The Teutons were unable to accomplish much against Hillsboro’s tight man-to-man defense and shot only 8-of-40 for the game.
“When we didn’t reach, we did all right,” Hiebert said.
Statistics
A. Ratzlaff, 19 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 steals; A. Lackey, 18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals; D. Bina, 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal; A. Weber, 8 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 3 steals; T. Proffitt, 4 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals; D. Heinrichs, 2 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block; Maddi Duerksen, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal; C. Troyer, 3 rebounds, 1 assist; Callie Linnens, 2 rebounds; Brooklyn Wiens, 1 rebound.
Trojans defeat ranked Moundridge team
The championship game of the tournament pitted ranked teams against each other. Hillsboro was ranked No. 1 and Moundridge No. 6 in 2A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association.
With Hillsboro leading 8-4 about midway through the first quarter, Ratzlaff had to go to the bench because of a cut above her right eye. After the game, she said she thought she head-butted Lackey while both players were going for a rebound.
The Trojans’ man-to-man defense kept Moundridge from getting the shots they wanted to take in the first quarter. Late in the quarter, Maddi Duerksen forced a five-second call against the Wildcats. A jump shot in transition by Lackey gave Hillsboro a 15-6 lead to end the first quarter.
Hillsboro stayed in control in the second quarter, with Lackey hitting jump shots and driving to the basket. Bina scored off an offensive rebound with 4 minutes, 43 seconds left in the quarter, prompting a Moundridge timeout with Hillsboro leading 22-10. Moundridge made a slight comeback to end the half, hitting a 3-pointer with two seconds left to cut the Trojans’ lead to 27-18.
The third quarter was back-and-forth to begin before the Trojans made their own run. Lackey scored on a spinning drive through the defense, and Heinrichs and Bina added scores before Moundridge called a timeout. Hillsboro led 39-26 at the end of the third quarter.
Moundridge pulled within five points with a free throw at the 2:43 mark in the fourth quarter. Lackey tried to block a shot and hurt her leg as she came down, being called for a foul along the way.
After Moundridge’s free throws, Hillsboro used up 1:08 on the next possession before Ratzlaff was fouled and made a free throw. The Wildcats’ next possession came up empty. Duerksen missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 46 seconds left, but Ratzlaff grabbed the rebound. Bina was then fouled and made a free throw, extending the lead to 47-40 with 38 seconds left.
Moundridge made a 3-pointer, but Bina closed out the game with four free throws to seal the 51-43 victory.
Hiebert said he had talked to the team after Thursday’s game about cleaning up fouls, and the Trojans responded by only committing 10 fouls against the Wildcats.
“Stay disciplined, keep them in front, make them take contested shots, and box out,” Hiebert emphasized as the keys to the defense.
Statistics
A. Lackey, 23 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals; D. Bina, 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists; A. Ratzlaff, 8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal; D. Heinrichs, 5 points, 4 rebounds; M. Duerksen, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal; A. Weber, 1 rebound; T. Proffitt, 1 rebound.
Tuesday
The girls defeated Halstead 47-20 at home Tuesday.