Northwestern comes up short in difficult girls’ basketball season
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The Northwestern girls’ basketball team suffered through a rough season this year. It managed just two wins, and when it faced Western on Jan. 20, that number was just one. The Panthers weren’t about to hand over that second win.
Western came out strong, dropping 27 points on the Tigers in the first quarter, and they never looked back en route to a 69-39 win.
The Panthers were led by senior center Ellyse Walden, who scored 24 points to lead all shooters. Most of those baskets were made in or near the paint, as she only went to the foul line for three shots, making two of them. As could be expected, Walden also led the field with 11 rebounds.
Senior Maci Turner also had a big night for Western. She scored 15, going 3-6 from three-point range. Junior Ella Rawlings also registered double digits with 11 points.
Senior Chauncey Thompson made her mark by leading Western with four assists, while sophomore Kayleigh Auth spent her time picking pockets. She finished with five steals on the night.
Northwestern did have something to cheer about. Freshman Alaina Dubbels hit the floor ready to compete, and she found the hoop for 17 points. She also accounted for 43 percent of all shots taken by the Tigers. Despite this, Dubbels also managed to register four assists to lead her team in that category.
Junior Ava Schultz hit the boards the hardest for Northwestern, pulling down nine rebounds. Junior Tessa Davenport had seven rebounds and led her team with a pair of steals. Senior Maci Rody managed to block a pair of shots.
The loss was the last in an eight-game slide for Northwestern. Unfortunately, their season came to an end on Feb. 4, with a demoralizing loss to Peru in the opening round of the girls’ basketball sectional. The Tigers ended their season with a 2-20 record.
Things went south for Western after the win, as they dropped three straight games to finish the regular season. An opening-round win against Twin Lakes on Feb. 3 ensured that the Panthers will continue their pursuit of a sectional title. At 12-12, they face a hapless Logansport team (2-20) on Feb. 6. The Berries are one of two teams that lost to Northwestern during the regular season.
See additional photos from this contest, including galleries for each team, courtesy of Adam Hartsough, on the Lantern’s Facebook page or group.