Warriors fall late to Wellpinit

COULEE CITY – Thursday's regular-season finale between Almira/Coulee-Hartline and Wellpinit came down to the wire, as a late Warrior turnover allowed the Redskins to survive with a 47-45 win in Coulee City.

“I saw a great battle – there's no other way to put that game, it was a great battle,” head coach Nikki Strock said. “Every possession, every stop, every time we had the ball, it was a battle.” 

ACH took a 10-8 lead in a back-and-forth first quarter, though Wellpinit responded with a three-pointer just before the buzzer going into the second quarter to take an 11-10 lead in the ballgame. The Warriors then tied the game again at 12 and later 18, before the Redskins took a 20-18 lead going into halftime. 

“Just preparing our girls mentally for Wellpinit to give it everything they had in the second half,” Strock said of the halftime discussion. “They’re not going to let down, that’s not who they are. Just preparing them and making sure that we’re showing up both halves of the game.” 

The third quarter saw four different lead changes, with the difference in score being no bigger than five points for either team. The Warriors saw their outside shooting begin to open up in the second half, started with a three-pointer from senior Emma Whitaker. 

Wellpinit began the fourth quarter on a quick 5-0 run, which the Warriors cut into with a three-pointer from junior Naomi Molitor. Midway through the final frame, the Warriors tied the game at 43 with a shot beyond the arc by Whitaker. 

“Even though Wellpinit went on a 5-0 run, it was our energy that got us through it,” Strock said. “I always tell the girls to have a short-term memory; if you make a mistake, it’s one second of an entire game. So don’t let that one second ruin the remainder.” 

Wellpinit retook a 47-45 lead with a minute-and-a-half remaining, but two ACH turnovers down the stretch – a 10-second violation and a travel underneath the basket – kept ACH scoreless in the final minutes of the game. Wellpinit senior Danea Norman, who led all scorers with 23 points, had key baskets and free throws to help the Redskins take the late lead. 

“It’s hard to defend an inside game and an outside game,” Strock said. “Our focus going into that was focusing on (Norman’s) inside game, but also trying to stop their outside game. Wellpinit did what they had to do, and we were just one possession short on that.”  

It was the second time two teams had met this season; Wellpinit also defeated ACH 51-46 at home Dec. 14.  

“We lacked confidence earlier in the season, and confidence plays a huge role in how you play basketball,” Strock said. “That’s been our number one focus, is confidence and energy – that's what we took away from that game. When they pressed us we got nervous, which creates turnovers. We knew going into this game, there’s no need to panic.” 

The Warriors found success breaking through Wellpinit’s press defense Thursday night, something that plagued them during their earlier-season loss to the Redskins. 

“I knew rather than dribbling through it we had to pass through it and beat them because the ball travels faster than our feet when we pass rather than when we dribble,” Strock said. “That was the majority of our prep – we had one game in between Waterville and Wellpinit, so the majority of our practice was working on the 1-2-1-1 press break.” 

Molitor led the Warriors with 13 points Thursday night, 11 of which came in the second half. Sophomore Josie Bayless and Whitaker also finished in double digits, scoring 12 and 10 points, respectively. 

“(Molitor), she’s just a workhorse. Josie (Bayless) on the block, she’s 5’8 going against 5’10, 5’11, 6-foot girls,” Strock said. “She’s undersized, but she’s one probably one of the strongest posts in our league, and it’s her mindset. Emma Whitaker, I’ve worked with her on her shot but also mentally, where she has to have a shooter’s mentality. (Thursday) night, she did exactly that.” 

ACH (10-9, 8-4 NE1B) hosted Cusick in the first round of the Northeast 1B league tournament Saturday, but scores were not available in time for press deadline. The winner of the loser-out matchup advances to play Curlew on the road Tuesday. 

Box score 

WEL: 11-9-16-11 47 

ACH: 10-8-16-11 45 

    Almira/Coulee-Hartline senior Emma Whitaker (5) scored 10 points in Thursday’s game against Wellpinit, including two second-half three-pointers.
  

    Almira/Coulee-Hartline sophomore Josie Bayless (21) begins to attempt a shot during the second half of Saturday’s game against Wellpinit. Bayless scored 12 points in the game.
  

    Almira/Coulee-Hartline junior Peyton Roberts (45) lays the ball up for a basket during the first quarter.