Out & About: Battle Creek-Ida Grove/Wapsie Valley

#3 posting 3.7.2006

Iowa State Tournament 2A Quarterfinals Game #3
Battle Creek-Ida Grove 59, Wapsie Valley 57

Kelsey Bolte made the dramatic shot that sent BCIG into the 2A Semis and sent Wapsie Valley home. But the game was tight throughout.

Both teams were after each other right from the git go. The press seemed to bother Wapsie Valley early on as they had an 0/5 drought with turnovers on the first four possessions on the string. BCIG had a 8-0 run to close the first quarter and led 14-8 at the break.

BCIG had a dry spell in the second quarter going 0/7 on possessions with four the result of turnovers. That opened the door for Wapsie Valley as they went on an 11-2 run and took the lead 19-16. Five different players got into the flow for WV. Both teams found rhythm as they connected on four possessions apiece with the result a 27-25 Wapsie lead. Just as they closed the first BCIG put together a four possession run and went on a 12-2 run to grab the lead at half 32-29. Kelsey Bolte had four points on that run, and 8 for the quarter. Alana Wittenburg led WV with six in the period with four coming at the line.

BCIG jumped out quickly in the third quarter with scoring on the first three possessions. That pushed the lead to 38-29. That was their biggest lead. WV then went on a 9-2 lead to get right back in it. Sickels was the motor that period as she notched 7 points with five at the line. WV closed the gap to 43-40. The period ended with BCIG holding a 48-41 lead.

WV tied the game at 49 with a 8-1 run to start the fourth. Brittney McKowen drained a three on the first possession. Bolte immediately answered to regain the lead for BCIG. Bolte added a free throw on the next possession for a 52-49 lead. Ashley Kleitsch helped Wapsie Valley with two free throws to cut the lead to 52-51. Sickles made a steal and lay up to give WV the lead. Who answered the bell? Bolte. WV had an answer too by the name of Sickles with two more free throws. WV led with 3:14 to go 55-54. The answer this time came from Crystal Schiembeck in the form of a layup. She later added a free throw on the next possession for a 57-55 BCIG lead. A miss by Sickles, blocked by Schiembeck, and a turnover by Shelby Schmidt with Sickles making the steal put the ball back in WV's hands. Schiembeck fouled Alana Wittenburg and she made both tying the game at 57 with 1:49 left. Both teams had cracks at it, Bolte missed on her shot. Then Sickles missed her opportunity. This left 1:12 to go. BCIG worked the ball around for the rest of the quarter. They took a time out with 8 seconds left. They worked it to Bolte on the left baseline side 12 feet out and it went through as the buzzer sounded. BCIG had the March gladness, Wapsie the sadness. But it was a great game to watch if you didn't have ties to either team.

Height Matters: BCIG 5-8.2, Wapsie Valley 5-7.6
Department of Defense: BCIG mainly man and full court pressure.

Player, points, possessions, pp100, floor %
Battle Creek-Ida Grove Player Evaluations
Starters
Dani Miller 6, 11, 54.5, .273
Shelby Schmidt 3, 6, 50.0, .167
Kelsey Bolte 23, 18, 127.8, .667 big time player, clutch performance, calm business like attitude. good leaper, good handles, good shooting technique. Boards? 18. Also led the team in assists. a winner, and finds the way to do it. RF: does not sell popcorn at halftime
Gabi Miller 8, 6, 133.3, .667
Crystal Schiembeck 6, 8, 75.0, .500 another player that caught my eye. played defense on Sickels some of the time. rangy, moves well. RF: needs to be consistent on shot, avoid the useless fouls
Bench
Katie Hummelgard 4, 7, 57.1, .286
Heidi Evans 2, 1, 200.0, 1.000
Rebecca Shomo 6, 5, 120.0, .600
Melinda Boysen 1, 3, 33.3, .333

Wapsie Valley Player Evaluations
Starters
Alana Wittenburg 8, 13, 61,5, .308 tough nut guard, scrappy. RF: size
Heidi Schmidt 2, 2, 100.0, .500
Brittney McKowen 11, 9, 122.2, .444 takes the 3, has good range. RF: foul problems, needs to develop a drive game
Jamie Sickles 22, 24, 91.7, .500 good crossover, good behind the back move, fluid, I see why she is the states all time leader in assists. RF: forced moves at times.
Ashley Kleitsch 10, 9, 111.1, .556
Bench
Amber Boevers 0, 2, 0.0, .000
Haley Bergmann 4, 3, 133.3, .667
Trench player: Kesley Bolte if you had not guessed.

BY THE NUMBERS
BCIG 59, 63, 93,7, .492
Wapsie Valley 57, 63, 90.5, .444
Bench: BCIG 13, WV 4

Next up the Audubon vs Davenport Assumption game