ORIGINALLY WRITTEN DON RATZLAFF
Hillsboro used a great start to propel them past Wichita Collegiate, 50-31, Tuesday night at Brown Gymnasium.
The Trojans came out of the blocks strong with Jenna Jost scoring a layup on the fast break five seconds after the tipoff. Jill Hein followed with a 3-point from the top of the key 25 seconds later and Hillsboro was on the way.
By quarter’s end, the Trojans were up 15-5, then used its defense to expand the lead to 26-7 by halftime. Collegiate didn’t score in the quarter until Katherine Healy drove the lane for a bucket with 20 seconds left.
“I thought we played great defense,” coach Becky Carlson said. “I thought we took good shots and forced a lot of turnovers. We did a better job on the boards, blocking out. I thought we passed the ball excellently and found the open girls.”
The only challenge remaining for Hillsboro in the second half was avoiding a letdown. The Trojans played even with the Spartans until the last minute, when Andrea Peachey knocked down a 10-foot jump shot, then came back on the next possession with a traditional three-point play. Robyn Penner added a layup off the fast break with 23 seconds left to complete the 7-0 mini-run and push the lead to 39-14 by the end of the quarter.
The game unraveled a bit in the final quarter with the Trojans substituting freely. The Spartans scored more points than they had the entire game previously with 17. Hillsboro managed 11 points, but hurt themselves at the free-throw line, cashing in only three of eight opportunities-including two misses on the front end of one-and-one situations.
Overall, Carlson was pleased with her team’s second half effort.
“Our goal was just to end before Christmas feeling good,” she said. “I told them (at halftime) we probably weren’t going to lose this game, but we could either end on a good note, or we could end feeling bad. I think we ended pretty good. The fourth quarter got a little bit sloppy, but not bad. I was pleased.”
Shannon Kroeker and Hein each scored 12 to pace the Trojans, who raised their record to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the MCAA Mid Division. Kroeker made six of eight shots from inside the arc. Hein was 3-of-5 inside the arc and 2-of-4 behind it.
As a team, the Trojans shot a solid 54.7 percent inside the arc but made only two of seven attempts behind it. For the first time this season, Hillsboro struggled at the line, making only four of 11 free throws (36.4 percent).
Carlson said she was pleased with the progress her team has made coming into the holiday break.
“I see some good things,” she said. “We’ve got a ways to go, but I think our ball movement is good, and we see the court really well. We do a lot of good things.”
The Trojans will resume competition Jan. 4 on the road against Halstead.
Defense fuels Hillsboro girls over Collegiate
