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Girls basketball: Kingsford outlasts Menominee, 55-48

Kingsford's Maggie Strehlow (23) blocks a shot by Menominee's Emma Anderson on Friday in Menominee. (Brian Bell/The EagleHerald)

MENOMINEE — A bad stretch in the third quarter for the Menominee girls basketball team laden with turnovers and easy baskets for Kingsford was the deciding factor in Friday’s Great Northern Conference matchup.

The Maroons (7-3, 1-1 GNC) trailed 26-22 at halftime and by the five-minute mark of the third quarter Kingsford stretched its lead to 36-24 and despite a comeback attempt from Menominee, the Flivvers were able to hold on and get a 55-48 win.

“We were pretty sloppy with the ball tonight,” Menominee coach Lucas Chouinard said. “When we were down we tried to make things happen too quick instead of letting it come naturally. Towards the end of the game we started swinging the ball around and taking what (Kingsford) gave us, but that stretch in the third quarter we tried to force it too much and in those situations we have to be more patient and let the game come to us.”

Kingsford’s junior point guard Brooke Kriegl did a good job of handling the Menominee full-court press and getting into the lane, leading to easy baskets for her and her teammates in the early going as Kingsford (5-3, 2-2) got out to an 11-4 lead after she broke the press and made a floater in the lane.

“Brooke was incredible tonight, I thought she had an awesome game,” Kingsford coach Lisa Harry said. “She made some phenomenal passes and she’s just really great with the ball and she has the ability to make good decisions under pressure. I’m very lucky to have a point guard with her experience, knowledge of the game and speed and quickness.”

The Maroons struggled shooting throughout the game, going 14 of 69 (20 percent) and 9 of 28 (32 percent) from 3-point range. That, coupled with 19 turnovers, was enough to let the game slip away and move to 1-1 in the GNC.

“I thought we took great shots, they just weren’t falling tonight,” Chouinard said. “We got stationary and especially in the first half there was a lot of standing around and that’s pretty easy to guard if we’re not going to move. We turned it around a little in the second half but unfortunately it was a little too late.”

Kingsford led 26-22 at halftime.

A 10-2 Flivvers’ run to start the third quarter gave them their biggest lead of the game at 36-24. Menominee creeped back a bit with 3-pointers until Kingsford’s Olivia Allen leaked out for a couple fastbreak layups to get the lead back up to 42-30 with 48 seconds to go in the third.

Menominee later cut the deficit to 49-43.

Kriegl answered again. She took the inbound pass, handled the Maroons’ pressure and was fouled for a bonus situation. She made both free throws to take an eight-point lead with just under three minutes to play.

Anderson scored five straight for the Maroons on a basket inside and a 3-pointer narrow the margin at 51-48.

Menominee forced a turnover with 1:11 left in the game but didn’t capitalize and Kingsford sealed the win with free throws.

“We haven’t been shooting our free throws very well this year so I’m happy we were able to capitalize there at the end,” Harry said. “Overall I was super pleased with how we played. Our hustle, effort and focus were there tonight. We were sharp, I thought that was one of our sharper games offensively and defensively. We’re starting to come together.”

Anderson led Menominee with 14 points and nine rebounds and Hofer added 12 points and five boards.

Allen led Kingsford with 17 points. Kriegl chipped in 13 with nine assists, eight rebounds and three steals, and Tori Kowalkowski had 10 points.

Menominee hosts Oconto Falls on Monday and Kingsford hosts to North Dickinson on Tuesday.

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