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It's not how you start; it's how you finish.
The Cuba City girls basketball team couldn't have asked for a much better finish against Mineral Point Thursday in a key SWAL contest.
The defending Division 4 state champion Cubans used a 17-6 run down the stretch in the fourth quarter to earn a very hard fought victory 53-40.
Senior point guard Chloe Pustina hit back to back three pointers that sparked the momentum and was helped by nine fourth quarter points from Jessi Marti.
These opportunities were created in large part due to the Cuba City trap defense that was slapped on Mineral Point after the teams were deadlocked at 33 all at the end of three quarters of play.
In fact, Mineral Point actually led late in the third quarter after going on a 5-0 run with baskets from Natalie Chubb and Jessica Schultz, along with a Clara Chambers free throw.
The Pointers outscored their hosts 19-13 in that third quarter with seven coming from the hot hand of Chambers.
After only scoring one field goal in the second quarter and trailing 20-14 at halftime, the Pointers came out with more intensity and focus in the second half and silenced the Cuba City fans as they pulled even with their Cubans.
However, the fourth quarter was all Cuba City as Mineral Point was held scoreless for the rest of the game after a Destinee Kruser field goal at the 2:09 mark.
Marti was the lone Cuban in double digits with her game-high 21 point performance.
Point was led by Kruser with 12 and Schultz added 11.
"I'm very happy with our effort tonight," said Pointer coach Mitch Wainwright. "Cuba City has the ability to take you out of the game and really frustrate you, and we did a great job handling that. In fact, I think we might have frustrated them a bit because we just wouldn't go away."
"They changed defenses on us in the 4th and we became a bit tentative offensively. Chloe Pustina steps back and hits those two threes and that was a real backbreaker moment. However, we have many positives to take away from this game, and I think we really believe now that we can play with high caliber teams like that," said Wainwright.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
MP: 10-4-19-7--40
CC: 12-8-13-20--53
BOX SCORE
MINERAL POINT (fg-ft-tp) 40: Staver 2-0/2-4, Chambers 4-1/3-9, Chubb 2-0/2-4, Kruser 4-4/4-12, Schultz 4-3/4-11. Totals: 16-8/15-40. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: Chubb.
CUBA CITY 53: Marti 9-3/4-21, Pustina 3-0-9, Wiederholt 1-0-2, Lierman 3-1/2-8, Kaiser 1-2/2-4, Wedige 3-3/8-9. Totals: 20-9/16-53. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: Kaiser. Three pointers: Pustina 3, Lierman 1.