Bearcats add three more wins
By Coach Mark Johnson
KCC 64 – WAO 56
KCC had a busy week with three conference matchups in a four-day span. Monday, Jan. 27, the Bearcats traveled to Warren to play the Ponies who were sitting right behind them with only a single loss in the conference. It was an important game for both teams.
The Bearcats struggled through the first half of play. The WAO defense made every offensive possession a battle for KCC. The Bearcats had a ton of open possessions in the first half that either ended with a turnover, missed bunnies or unconverted free throw attempts. WAO held the Bearcats to a season low 18 first-half points. Despite the struggles, KCC only trailed the Ponies by 8 points, 26-18 at the break. The Bearcats defense had kept them within striking distance.
KCC turned the tables in the second half and ratcheted up their level of play. The Bearcats got the offensive wheels turning in the second half and poured in 46 points while holding the Ponies to 30. In contrast to the first half, KCC converted on the opportunities their defense created in the second half. The Bearcats kept the pace of play in their favor and methodically erased the Pony lead possession by possession. KCC took the lead at the 9:26 mark of the half at 43-42. The two teams sparred for the next two minutes and were tied at 45-45 with 7:26 left in the game. The Bearcats took the lead for good with 6:52 left at 47-45. The Bearcats finished the game on a 19-11 run to capture the win and remain undefeated in conference play.
It was the type of game we needed to play. WAO pushed us to be better in all phases of the game. Fortunately, we responded. The girls never panicked and just kept grinding on every possession.
Scoring leaders: Morgan Turn 25, Greta Kuznia 13, Kaydence White 12, Berlyn Strege 10, Lily Peterson 2, Hanna Warnke 1, McKinley Folland 1
Rebound leaders: Kaydence White 11, Lily Peterson 5, Morgan Turn 4, Berlyn Strege 4
Assist leaders: Lily Peterson 2, Berlyn Strege 2, Morgan Turn 2
KCC 80 – Roseau 38
KCC jumped right back into conference action on Tuesday, Jan. 28. They traveled to Roseau to face the Rams for the third time this season. The Bearcats got the wins in the first two matchups and were looking to add the third.
It was all KCC from the start. The Bearcat defense fed their offense and KCC jumped out to a 25-4 lead right out of the gates. KCC dominated the first half of play and posted a 52-20 lead at the break.
The Bearcats continued to outpace the Rams in the second half of play and cruised to a 80-38 win. KCC shot over 53% from the field for the game while holding the Rams to just under 31% and 12 fewer field goal attempts.
It was good to see that we were able to physically and mentally be ready to play on back-to-back nights after having a taxing game the night before. The girls responded very well and were ready to get the job done.
Scoring leaders: Greta Kuznia 24, Morgan Turn 16, Kaydence White 10, Berlyn Strege 9, Lily Peterson 8, McKinley Folland 4, Hanna Warnke 4, Afton Lindgren 3, Aliyah Vig 2
Rebound leaders: Kaydence White 6, Greta Kuznia 5, Aliyah Vig 5
Assist leaders: Lily Peterson 7, Afton Lindgren 4, Berlyn Strege 3, McKinley Folland 3
KCC 78 – RLCC 44
The Bearcats’ final game of the week had them return home for a conference matchup with the RLCC Mustangs on Thursday, Jan. 30. The two teams only play once during the season in a conference anomaly putting an even bigger emphasis on the importance of the game.
KCC duplicated the start they had produced the previous game and sprinted to a 33-10 lead and left very little doubt about the final outcome of the contest. The first half ended with the Bearcats holding a 40-12 advantage.
KCC pushed their lead to 39 points midway through the second half of play. The Bearcat offense continued to score efficiently and never gave RLCC a chance to breathe on the defensive end of the floor. The Bearcats rolled to the 78-34 win and moved their season record to 17-1.
It was another solid win for us. Our free throw percentage left a little bit to be desired, but we were very efficient on the offensive end of the floor, while being stingy on the defensive end. The girls really stayed dialed in on every possession and kept each other focussed.
Scoring leaders: Kaydence White 20, Morgan Turn 20, Greta Kuznia 13, Berlyn Strege 11, Kasey Waling 6, Hanna Warnke 4, Lily Peterson 3, McKinley Folland 1
Rebound leaders: Kaydence White 12, McKinley Folland 8, Berlyn Strege 6
Assist leaders: Morgan Turn 6, McKinley Folland 3
KCC’S BERLYN STREGE, foreground, and GRETA KUZNIA, No. 22, work to block Roseau Rams on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Kuznia had 24 points and 5 rebounds in the contest, while Strege had 9 points and 3 assists. (KC Media Arts photo)
KCC’S KAYDENCE WHITE blocks a Ponies player in the Bearcats’ win over WAO on Monday, Jan. 27. White had 12 points and 11 rebounds in the game. (KC Media Arts photo)
