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Girls beat 4A CCA on senior night, 49-31
by Norv and Mary Coblentz · Sports · February 16, 2017
The West Branch girls’ basketball team finished their regular season Feb. 9 with a 49-31 win over the visiting 4A Clear Creek-Amana Clippers.
It was senior night, and the team’s five seniors started the game: Paige Miller, Abby Knoop, Allie Waterman, Haley Mullinnix, and Claire Bridges.
Two Bears’ guards, Tatum Koenig and Mullinnix, scored in double figures, and two post players, Abbey Fryauf and Knoop, had a stellar game with 15 rebounds between them.
“Those two Abbys (Abbeys), were relentless around the rim today,” West Branch Head Coach Jarod Tylee said. “They rebounded it well, they got people open. They got decent shots. That (number) 50’s a good shot blocker (6’ 1” Lauren Helle). (The Abbys) just played tough for four quarters, and that’s what we’ve been putting an emphasis on.”
The opening tip went to the Clippers, and they scored first. Mullinnix scored with a jumper for a 2-2 tie. CCA scored inside, then Miller answered for a 4-4 tie with 6:12 left on the clock.
Bridges got a defensive rebound, but Clear Creek also got a defensive board and scored for a 6-4 Clippers’ lead with less than five minutes to go in the first quarter. A putback basket by Fryauf tied the game at 6-6.
The Clippers were fouled on a shot and made the first of two free throws. Fryauf got the rebound and made a baseline jumper for an 8-7 West Branch lead.
Clear Creek scored in the paint, then Miller scored. An inside basket by the Clippers with 2:30 to go proved to be the final score of the quarter. Going into the second quarter, the Bears trailed 11-10.
The Bears picked up their defense and held Clear Creek to just seven points in the second quarter while scoring 15. The Clippers had possession to start the second quarter and they scored first. Miller scored, assist Mullinnix. Mullinnix got a steal, and Koenig got an offensive rebound and drew a foul. She made both free throws to give the Bears a 14-13 lead.
The next score came at the 3:56 mark on a three-point basket by Mullinnix after an offensive board by Fryauf. Mackenzie Heisse got a defensive rebound, but the Clippers got a defensive rebound and scored for a 17-15 West Branch lead. A West Branch shot hit the support wire for a turnover. Courtney Jarrett got a defensive rebound, and Mullinnix made a three-point basket for a 20-15 score with 1:34 left in the half.
The Clippers drew a foul on a shot and made the second of two free throws. Koenig made a two-point outside shot, the Clippers made a basket, and Mullinnix made another three-point basket, assist Miller. Clear Creek’s shot at the buzzer was no good. Halftime score was West Branch 25, Clear Creek-Amana 18.
West Branch’ hustle on both ends of the court continued in the third quarter. Koenig drove to the basket to score the first points of the second half at the 6:05 mark. At the other end of the court, a CCA shot bounced off a Clipper, and possession went to the Bears.
Mullinnix drove to the basket for a 29-18 West Branch lead. The Clippers were fouled on a shot and made both free throws. Koenig made a three-point basket. Miller got a defensive rebound, then Koenig hit a trey, assist Fryauf.
Knoop got a steal at the 2:22 mark, but the Bears turned the ball over and Clear Creek scored for a 35-22 score. The Bears traveled, and Clear Creek scored again for a 31-24 score with less than a minute to go in the quarter. Koenig made a three-point basket, then the Clippers fouled. Fryauf was fouled on a shot and made one of two free throws. In the final 25 seconds, Heise and Miller got steals, and the Clippers had a steal. The score after three quarters was 39-24, Bears.
A 10-7 fourth quarter finished off the Clippers. Mullinnix opened the scoring with a three-point basket. Clear Creek made a basket. Fryauf got a steal, and Koenig made a three-point basket, assist Mullinnix, for a 45-26 score.
The Clippers were fouled on a shot and made the first of two free throws. The Clippers got a defensive rebound then a putback basket for a 45-29 score with 2:22 left in the game. A rebound went off the Bears, and the Clippers scored again.
Knoop scored, assist Koenig, and the Bears’ lead was 47-31. The final score of the game was a steal and layup by Mullinnix for a 49-31 final score.
“This last month we’ve been playing real good basketball,” Clear Creek-Amana Head Coach PJ Sweeney said. “Tonight, we were out of sync. We were out of sorts. The lack of extra effort plays, and offensively we just couldn’t get anything going. This game really surprised me. I knew it would be a dog fight, but I thought it would come down to the last two or three minutes, and it didn’t. West Branch is a good team. I know they lost (some seniors from last year). But in high school, when you’ve got good guard play, you have a chance to do some good things, and with Koenig and Mullinnix, they do.”
1 2 3 4 T
WB 10 15 14 10 49
CCA 11 7 6 7 31
West Branch stats: Abbey Fryauf 1 1-2 3, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks; Courtney Jarrett 2 rebounds, 1 steal; Riley Vaughan 1 rebound, 1 steal; Paige Miller 3 0-0 6, 3 rebounds 1 assist, 2 steals; Abby Knoop 1 0-0 2, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals; Tatum Koenig 6 2-2 18, 4 3-pointers, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal; Haley Mullinnix 8 0-0 20, 4 3-pointers, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals; Claire Bridges 1 rebound; Mackenzie Heise 4 rebounds, 1 steal
Clear Creek-Amana stats: Be DeShaw 3 assists; Jordan Neely 2 assists, 1 steal; Meagan Harvey 2 2-2 6, 8 rebounds, 1 block; Claire Navara 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal; Elizabeth Sweeney 1 rebound; Karsyn Stratton 7 2-4 16, 3 rebounds, 1 assist; Abbi Kinnaird 0 1-2 1, 5 rebounds, 1 steal; Erin Navara 1 rebound; Lauren Helle 4 0-0 8, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 6 blocks
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