FIELD TWP- The North Woods girls fended off a pesky Bigfork Huskies squad at home on Monday for their first win of the young basketball season, 65-54.
The Huskies took an early lead and held it until North Woods’ River Cheney scored a bucket that put the Grizzlies in front 14-13 at the midway point of the first half. Bigfork went back in front again 21-18, but North Woods shut them down in the final three minutes of the half while Corra Brodeen got hot and canned three mid-range jumpers to go with a trey from Helen Koch and another Cheney basket to take a 28-21 lead at the half.
North Woods maintained its lead during the first seven minutes of the second stanza, but the Huskies chipped away at the lead and took it back on a trey at the 10:38 mark, 39-38. North Woods was back on top 43-42 with 8:27 remaining, but less than a minute later Bigfork held a 46-45 margin. Koch immediately struck back with a trey, and a pair of Talise Goodsky free throws gave the Grizzlies a 50-46 edge with six minutes to play. Koch slammed the door shut on any Bigfork hopes for a final comeback by hitting three big triples down the stretch, and got some help with a pair of Brielle Lindgren baskets to give the Grizzlies the 65-54 win.
Koch and Cheney tied for scoring honors with 18 points each and were the only two Grizzlies in double figures. Tatum Barto led the team in assists with eight, while Cheney and Lindgren provided the muscle on the boards with seven rebounds apiece.
North Woods shot a respectable 40.6 percent from the field and 30 percent from three-point range. The Grizzlies struggle at the charity stripe, going seven-for-18.
Grizzlies Head Coach Liz Cheney gave Lindgren praise for “being a spark plug when we need it” with her two late baskets.
“She scored a couple of key buckets, and of course Helen stepped up big with those three balls,” Cheney said.
The Grizzlies added a new wrinkle in the second half by applying some half-court and full-court pressure.
“That was the girls’ idea,” Cheney said. They wanted to try that.”
Coach Cheney also gave kudos to player Cheney for her performance.
“I was impressed with her tonight,” Cheney said. “She did a really good job reading the defense and capitalizing on that going up for baskets, especially in the second half.”