Girls recover from 35-22 halftime deficit
Determination and pride, according to coach Onika Peterson, were the driving forces Friday, Feb. 5 when the NRHEG girls’ basketball team rallied from a substantial deficit to win 56-53 against Bethlehem Academy.
The Panthers got in trouble early, trailing by as many as 13 points as the Cardinals hit eight of 10 three-point attempts in the first halves.
“We dug ourselves in a hole,” said Peterson. “Our effort level was not where it needed to be. We struggled moving on defense, sprinting up the floor, and our shots were off.” The Cardinals were ahead 35-22 at halftime.
The second half was a different story as the Panthers came back and finally took the lead and held onto it.
“The girls came out with determination to prove we are a better team than we showcased in the first half,” said Coach Peterson. “We carried it over to a great team win.”
Erin Jacobson was the Panthers’ leading scorer with 21 points, adding 4 rebounds and 4 steals.
Others: Faith Nielsen 7 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 5 assists; Hallie Schultz 7 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 assist; Kendall Johnson 3 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals; Sidney Schultz 9 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 4 assists; Sarah George 6 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist; Sarah Johns 3 points, 1 rebound.
The Panthers hosted Fairmont Tuesday, Feb. 2 and lost 59-47 in a nonconference contest.
“Fairmont is a tough team,” said Peterson. “We had some issues with guarding their inside game and they had a couple girls make some big shots on the outside. We made a couple adjustments over halftime and cut their lead, but in the end it wasn't enough. We continue to get better every game, which is great to see.”
Faith Nielsen led NRHEG scorers with 18 points, adding 6 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 assist, while Sidney Schultz totaled 15 points, three rebounds, two steals and three assists.
Others: Hallie Schultz 4 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 1 assist; Jacobson 1 rebound, 1 steal; Johnson 2 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists; George 6 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal; Cassidy Martin 1 steal; Johns 2 points
The Panthers, 2-4, played Tuesday at Blooming Prairie and host Hayfield Friday, Feb. 12 before hosting Blue Earth Area Tuesday, Feb. 16