Esky outlasts Maroons in second half
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MENOMINEE -- An off-shooting night for the Menominee girls basketball team and a 180-degree turnaround for Escanaba in the second half allowed the Eskymos to defeat the Maroons on Tuesday night.
After trailing 22-21 at the end of the first half where Esky shot 8-for-34 (23 percent) from the field, the Eskymos came out of the break and shot 11-22 (50 percent) to go home with a 56-51 victory.
"We got off to a slow start but we started to make some shots in the second quarter and the girls got a little more confident," Esky coach Mike Beveridge said. "At halftime I told the girls we didn't play that well and we're still only down one, and we'll play better in the second half. And they came out and did just that."
Emma Anderson split a pair of free throws to give Menominee a 26-23 lead with 6 minutes, 23 seconds left in the third quarter but Esky's Lexi Chaillier tied it by sinking one free throw and making an easy layup in transition. Esky took the lead on its next possession when Kathryn Wilson made two free throws, but Erin Barrette answered with a steal and a quick basket for the Maroons and Josie Hofer splashed a 3-pointer after an Eskymo turnover and Menominee took a 31-28 lead.
Moments later, Marissa Wallin made a jumper and a Maroon turnover led to Nicole Kamin going to the line for two free throws. She made both and Esky ended the quarter with a one-footed runner from Aubrey Weber to go up 34-31.
Kamin started the fourth quarter with a baseline drive for a basket and Weber was left open from 3-point range and she knocked it down to take a 39-31 lead 50 seconds into the quarter. Arikah Bellisle responded with two free throws to stop the run and Barrette made a floater in the lane to get within 41-35, but a 6-0 Esky run on two corner jumpers from Maddy Monkevich and a Chaillier layup pushed the lead to 12 at 47-35 with just under four minutes to play.
"In the second half I thought we wore them down with our tempo. We started getting more 3-on-1 and 4-on-2 (fastbreaks) and that's our game. We keep it going up and down the floor and try to wear out other teams," Beveridge said. "Aubrey filled in very nicely for Taylor Ray who was out with an eye infection, Maddy Monkevich had a couple nice shots for us late in the game and that's what kept our momentum going and allowed us to come away with a win."
The Maroons tried to make one last run.
Emma Hofer hit a 3-pointer from the right wing and then Hofer threw an outlet pass to Jenna Nolde who dribbled in for a layup to cut the deficit to 48-42. Esky then tried to inbound the ball but it fell into the hands of Menominee's Sarah Barrette who laid the ball off the glass for a basket to get within four, but the Maroons couldn't get timely baskets when they needed them and Esky went 6-of-8 (Kamin 5-6) down the stretch from the free throw line.
Esky outrebounded Menominee 37-30, with 14 rebounds each for Kamin and Chaillier.
"Coming in we knew to key on Kamin and Challier and we had to limit their opportunities, not only in the half-court, but then we have to make sure we have a body on them and they did a great job of attacking the offensive glass and getting second and third chance opportunities," Menominee coach Lucas Chouinard said. "They're very dynamic in the open floor and we didn't get back very well in transition so that allowed (Escanaba) some easy chances under the hoop and that makes it very tough."
Menominee shot out to a 10-5 lead. It continued to be the aggressor in the second quarter, starting it off with 3-pointers from Josie Hofer and Nolde to take its biggest lead of the game at 18-7. Holding onto the lead, Menominee got a little stagnant offensively.
Esky took advantage of the lull with three straight 3-pointers, two from Kamin and one from Weber, to cut the deficit to 18-16.
Kamin finished the game with 24 points to lead Esky. Weber had 12 and Chaillier finished with eight.
Anderson led the way for the Maroons with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Nolde had eight points, while Erin Barrette and Josie Hofer finished with six points each. Menominee shot 18-65 (27 percent) from the field and 7-24 (29 percent) from 3-point land.
It was the last home game for Menominee seniors Emma Hofer, Sarah Barrette, Arikah Bellisle and Kendall Klatt.
"I couldn't ask anything more from four seniors," Chouinard said. "Those are four girls that have totally bought in since they were freshman. They're very selfless. They have great attitudes and give great effort every day and since they've been freshman, they've gotten better every single year and their presence is definitely going to be missed."
Menominee (12-7, 2-5 GNC) travels to Marquette Thursday, while Escanaba (11-9, 3-4 GNC) hosts Norway Thursday.
Escanaba 7 14 13 22 -- 56
Menominee 12 10 9 20 -- 51
Escanaba -- Kamin 24, Weber 12, Challier 8, Monkevich 4, Wilson 4, Zuidema 2, Wallin 2.
Menominee -- Emma Anderson 20, Nolde 8, E. Barrette 6, J. Hofer 6, S. Barrette 5, E. Hofer 3, Bellisle 2, Wellner 1.