Three-pointers start falling in girls' triumph

(Note: Most of this post focuses on the MACA girls but the last portion reviews the boys' win over Minnewaska Area. - B.W.)

 

Tigers 48, LQPV 33
Morris Area Chokio Alberta is staying comfortably over .500 in early-season GBB play.

The latest chapter was the 48-33 win that coach Dale Henrich's squad achieved Tuesday (12/11) at home. The squad arrives at mid-week with a 4-2 overall mark.

Halftime saw the home team up by a margin of three, 19-16. Then the Tigers took care of business pretty decisively in the second half, outscoring the Lac qui Parle Eagles 29-17.

Beth Holland was at the fore of the offense with her 14 points. The Tigers made 15 field goals and finally got untracked in three-pointers, where futility had marked their game previously. Let's applaud the three Tigers who accounted for those 3's: Becca Holland had two of them, sister Beth had one and Tracy Meichsner had one.

Seeing those three-pointers start to fall was one of the most gratifying aspects of the night. If there was a "jinx" it's gone!

Abbie Olson snared seven rebounds to lead there. Meichsner was the assist leader with four and she also topped the steals list with five.

The Holland sisters achieved double figures in scoring, Beth with her team-leading 14 points and Becca (lifted by her timely 3's) with 12. Then we have Meichsner with seven, Nicole Strobel and Kaitlin Vogel each with six, MaKenzie Smith with two and Courtney Gades with one.

The MACA defense held LQPV to eleven field goals and just one three-point make. The Eagles did make 10 of 13 shots from the freethrow stripe.

The Tigers will host Benson on Tuesday, Dec. 18.

 

Litchfield 56, Tigers 29

The MACA girls had a Saturday assignment on December 9. Playing in Dragon country of Litchfield, the Tigers succumbed to the Dragons.

It was a rough outing for the MACA cause as no individuals scored in double figures. Tracy Meichsner came the closest with her nine points. The Tigers were defeated in the 56-29 final score.

Litchfield is a team to watch this winter. Their Saturday success upped their record to 5-0. MACA came out of the weekend at 3-2.

MaKenzie Smith and Adrianela Mendez each put in four points for the orange and black. Nicole Strobel scored three points followed by four of her teammates each with two: Courtney Gades, Beth Holland, Abbie Olson and Kaitlin Vogel. Cassey Hickman had one point in the scoring list.

The Litchfield scoring list was topped by Greta Walsh and her 15 points. She also stole the ball five times. Bailey Koch put in 14 points (and had eight rebounds) for the victor.

It was an awful night for the Tigers in three-point shooting. They truly put up bricks as shown in the 0-for-13 numbers. In total field goals they were a chilly nine of 32. Credit the Dragons' defense. The green team is hitting on all cylinders.

The MACA freethrow numbers were eleven of 18. Olson and Vogel each collected four rebounds. Holland and Hickman each had three steals.

Litch needs work in three-point shooting too. Both teams were errant, and in Litch's case the numbers were 0-for-9. But the Dragons were hot in freethrow shooting where their stats were 16-for-18. Litch led at the half 31-15.

 

Tigers 44, Minnewaska 25

Fans at the home court enjoyed an MACA triumph over rival Minnewaska Area on Thursday, Dec. 6.

The Tigers were headed in the right direction at halftime, up 22-11. They outscored the Lakers by eight in the second half, en route to the final winning score of 44-25. It was the Tigers' third triumph of the young season.

Coach Henrich had to be excited about his team's defensive play. Holding a foe to eleven points in a half underscores this attribute.

Tracy Meichsner was all over the court contributing in a variety of ways. Her point total: 14. Her rebounds numbered seven. She likewise contributed seven assists. For good measure she stole the ball three times.

The Tigers were conservative shooting, putting up just three tries from beyond the three-point line. They made none of the three. In total field goals their numbers were 18 of 43. In freethrows they were nearly perfect at eight-for-nine.

Beth Holland was second high on the team in scoring, putting in eight points. MaKenzie Smith and Nicole Strobel each scored six points. Abbie Olson and Kaitlin Vogel each contributed four points to the winning cause, and Becca Holland had two.

Meichsner's seven rebounds were followed by six from Olson. Smith set the pace in steals with her six.

The Lakers were led in scoring by Veronica Weisel and Sydney Joos each with seven points.

The Lakers came up empty in 3's like MACA. None of 'Waska's seven attempts from long-range found the mark. 'Waska was nine of 50 in total field goals.

 

Tigers 52, Montevideo 38

The Morris Area Chokio Alberta girls achieved their second victory on December 4, playing on the road against the Thunder Hawks of Monte.

Coach Henrich liked what he saw in the first half as his orange and black squad charged out to a 28-17 lead. There was more to like in the second half when MACA outscored the Thunder Hawks by three, 24-21. So the final score was 52-38.

There were hints of a slump in three-point shooting. The Tigers did have one make from three-point land, in six tries.

The total field goals category showed the Tigers making 21 of 55 tries. In freethrows the numbers were nine of 13.

Two Tigers paced the scoring attack by reaching double figures. Tracy Meichsner was at the fore, scoring 12 points. Nicole Strobel put in ten. MaKenzie Smith and Katie Holzheimer each added eight points to the winning mix. Beth Holland scored five points, Kaitlin Vogel four, Becca Holland three and Abbie Olson two.

The balanced nature of the scoring was an encouraging sign. This attribute helped negate the 17 points put in by T-Hawk Ashley Hoehne, who led all scorers on the night.
Strobel topped the rebound list for MACA, collecting seven, while Smith collected six. Smith set the pace in assists with five.

 

Boys basketball: Tigers 60, Minnewaska 48

The MACA boys fought to their first victory of the young season on December 7, prevailing at Minnewaska Area. Coach Mark Torgerson's squad downed the host Lakers by 12, 60-48.

The first half saw the Tigers climb out to a 28-23 lead. They outscored the Lakers 32-25 in the second.

Austin Dierks looked to be in mid-season form. Dierks put in 22 points and collected 14 rebounds.

The Tigers overcame a cool three-for-eleven showing in three-pointers. They were just shy of 50 per cent in total field goal shooting where the numbers were 24-for-49. Their freethrow stats were nine of 16.

Minnewaska had some strong suits like the play of Austin Lieser who scored 20 points and added five rebounds and six steals. Another strong suit for the host was freethrow shooting where they were sizzling with 22 of 27 numbers.

The Tigers worked to overcome a 2-0 'Waska team that was striving to seize on home court to keep its "mo." The rivalry always seems to bring out a top-notch effort by both squads.
The Lakers were sizzling in freethrows but fared in the opposite way in field goal shooting. They made just 22 per cent of their tries.

The MACA three-pointers were made by Chandler Erickson, Tyler Henrichs and Logan Manska. Manska with his nine points put him second-best behind Dierks in that department. Jacob Torgerson and Erickson each put in seven points. Nic Vipond added six points to the mix. Henrich added five, and Lincoln Berget and John Tiernan two each.

Torgerson dished out eight assists followed by Erickson with five. Torgerson with his three steals led there. Cold as 'Waska was in field goal shooting, they managed to make four three-pointers. They were by Lieser, Derek Burd, Austin Giese and Austin Ostrander.

The Tigers came out of the game at 1-1, the Lakers at 2-1.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com