/usr/web/www.marshallindependent.com/wp-content/themes/coreV2/single.php
×

SECTION 3A CHAMPIONSHIP: Familiar feeling

No. 1 Minneota returns to the state tournament with 65-47 victory over SWC

Photo by Sam Thiel Members of the Minneota girls basketball team celebrate with the Section 3A trophy after defeating Southwest Minnesota Christian 65-47 in the championship game on Friday at Southwest Minnesota State University. The Vikings will be going back to the state tournament for the second consecutive year.

MARSHALL – The Minneota and Southwest Minnesota Christian girls basketball teams are no strangers to playing in a tightly competitive matchup with a lot on the line. With the Vikings topping the Eagles in last year’s Section 3A championship game, the two ballclubs found themselves squaring off once again in the title match Friday night at Southwest Minnesota State University to see who would be punching their ticket to state.

The top-seeded Vikings were able to withstand a tight first half before using a strong second-half push, and for the second consecutive year, Minneota found its way back to the top of the section with a 65-47 victory over the Eagles to reach the state tournament.

Minneota coach Chad Johnston said coming into the game, they looked to throw SWC off-balance right away, but were forced to make some changes going into the second half, which he felt his team did a good job of making the necessary adjustments.

“We went into the game trying to take some things away, things that we thought they were going to be successful with. (Jazlynn) Prins obviously came in and shot the ball well right away for them, she did a great job and got in rhythm,” Johnston said. “We weren’t inviting those shots but we were sagging in a little bit and trying to take away the Nerem girls as much as we could or the screen and rolls that they like to do. I went in at halftime and just said, ‘Hey, this is kind of a similar thing that happened when we went down there earlier in the year. We just need to come out in the second half.’ Once we kind of got control and settled down a little bit, that lead slowly started plugging away and then we were able to spread them out and get them to go to man-to-man and we just finished the way we needed to.”

Back and

forth play

It was tight to start, as the Vikings took an 8-3 lead before SWC tied things back up at 10-10 with 10:15 left. The two teams continued to trade baskets over the next few minutes, as Minneota took an 18-12 lead with 5:57 left before a pair of free throws from Lizzy Gillingham pushed the Vikings advantage to 22-14 with 3:42 to go in the first half.

SWC wouldn’t go down without a fight, however, as a 5-0 run by the Eagles made it a three-point game, but Minneota responded with a Morgan Hennen layup, an Abby Hennen basket and a free throw by Gillingham quickly pushed it back to eight at 27-19. The Eagles would get a jumper at the buzzer, though, to make it a six-point advantage for the Vikings heading into the halftime break.

Creating enough separation

Just like its first-half counterpart, the first few minutes of the second half were tightly contested. A 3-pointer from Abby Hennen gave Minneota its first double-digit lead of the night at 34-24 before a triple from the Eagles kept their deficit within single digits. SWC would continue to keep itself in the game with a strong defensive effort, as a string of Viking turnovers created transition opportunities for the Eagles. Fortunately for Minneota, SWC wasn’t able to capitalize on those turnovers and the Vikings took full advantage on their end of the floor.

With Morgan Hennen leading the charge, the guard connected on a 3-pointer before getting a 3-point play to go to give Minneota its largest lead of the game thus far at 48-33 with 8:27 left. The Vikings would continue to hold at least a 12-point lead over the next several minutes, before ultimately earning the 65-47 victory and punch their ticket to the state tournament.

Morgan Hennen led the way for the Vikings with 21 points while Abby Hennen added 17 and Lydia Sussner had 12. Morgan Hennen also led in rebounds with eight while Morgan Kockelman led in assists with five.

Offensively, Morgan Hennen said their key was to use their quickness to create lanes to the basket as well as using their defensive pressure to create transition opportunities.

“After we shot a couple of 3-pointers that didn’t fall, we knew that we had to use our speed against them and take it to the basket,” she said. “Before that, we had to get our press set and I think our defense set in and it slowed them down on offense.”

Morgan Hennen added their depth on the bench was another key factor, especially in the second half.

“I think that our bench has a little bit more depth than them and we were able to tire them out a little bit in the second half and we started to run the floor a little better and get open looks that way,” Hennen said.

Minneota (27-1) will find out its state opponent this weekend, with the tournament beginning on Thursday. Johnston said they need to continue to play with a high level of confidence as they head into the state tournament.

“Our girls just need to go in confident. Obviously, our plans at the beginning of the year was to get back there after having the year that we had last year and had everyone back,” Johnston said. “Expectations were high and we know that there are going to be great teams there and we’re going to be put in situations we haven’t been put in all year. The girls just need to play confident and do the things they’ve been doing all year and see what happens.”

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.38/week.

Subscribe Today