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"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."
The famous opening line to the novel "A Tale of Two Cities" was applicable for Monday night's girls basketball game.
Mineral Point couldn't have asked for a better start, and River Valley couldn't have hoped for a better finish.
The visiting Blackhawks outscored the host Pointers 24-8 in the second half, erasing a 34-27 halftime deficit, to take the non-conference tilt 51-42.
Point bolted out of the gates with a 9-2 start that began with a three pointer from Clara Chambers. Molly DuCharme began the Blackhawk comeback, scoring ten first quarter points, and the Hawks tied things at 17 all on a three from Taylor Genthe, but a hoop from Jena Pilling as time expired gave the Pointers a 19-17 advantage after one.
Two free throws each from Destinee Kruser and Paula Pittz, along with a bucket from Chambers, got the Pointers out to a 6-0 run to start the second, and they took their largest lead of the night at nine points on a three from Pilling at the 4:52 mark. Back came the Hawks to get within three on a basket from Alyssa Mueller, but Kruser would score the last four points of the half to keep the home team in front 34-27 at the break.
The Pointers started the second half with multiple turnovers on consecutive possessions, and Valley took full advantage, going on a 8-2 run and holding the Pointers scoreless until the 3:30 mark when Kruser scored the lone Mineral Point field goal of the quarter.
DuCharme picked up her fourth foul halfway through the third quarter and was forced to sit, but the Pointers were unable to capitalize on her absence and trailed 37-36 entering the fourth.
Mineral Point's sophomore center, Jessica Schultz, picked up her fourth foul to start the fourth quarter, and the Hawks began the frame with an 8-0 stretch that featured scores from Rachel Liegel, DuCharme, and Kylie Hoffman. The freshman Kruser again accounted for all of the Pointer scores in the fourth quarter, putting up six points.
DuCharme led all scorers with 16, and Mueller chipped in 15 for the Hawks.
Kruser was the top Pointer with 14 in her varsity debut. Chambers added 10.
"I think we only took one shot for the first four minutes of the second half," said Pointer coach Mitch Wainwright. "Our turnover to shot ratio was not very good at all."
"I thought we might get off to a slow start at the beginning because this was our first game of the year and it was Valley's third. But we had the hot start and I think that relaxed us a bit. We went 12 of 19 from the line in the first half."
"They made a nice defensive adjustment on us in the second half, really trying to take Jessica out of our game plan. We stopped running our offense and made some terrible passes and started to panic."
"We have some good things to take away from this game, but we also have many things to improve on," said Wainwright. "We will need to get better quickly with Cuba City coming to town Friday."
The always tough Cubans visit Mineral Point Friday night for the SWAL opener. The Pointers travel to Platteville Tuesday.
River Valley has two non-conference games this coming week, traveling to Wisconsin Dells Friday and Lodi Monday.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
RV: 17-10-10-14--51
MP: 19-15-2-6--42
BOX SCORE
RIVER VALLEY (fg-ft-tp) 51: DuCharme 7-1/5-16, Liegel 3-2/4-8, Mueller 4-7/8-15, Schmidt 1-1/2-3, Kraemer 0-2/4-2, Genthe 1-0-3, Hoffman 1-2/2-4. Totals: 17-15/25-51. Fouls: 19. Three pointers: DuCharme 1, Genthe 1.
MINERAL POINT 42: Staver 0-0/4-0, Pittz 1-3/4-5, Johnson 0-0/2-0, Chambers 4-1/2-10, Chubb 1-0-2, Wainwright 0-4/4-4, Pilling 2-0-5, Kruser 5-4/5-14, Schultz 1-0/2-2. Totals: 14-12/23-42. Fouls: 22. Fouled out: Chubb. Three pointers: Chambers 1, Pilling 1.