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If you're going to win your first regional championship since 2003, you might as well do it with a statement victory.
The Mineral Point girls basketball team did just that, getting off to a hot start against a very solid Brookwood squad Saturday night. A late fourth quarter rally got the visiting Falcons within six late, but the Pointers held strong for a 51-42 victory in the Division 4 regional final.
Sophomore guard Clara Chambers set the tone for the night by hitting a three pointer just seven seconds into the contest. It looked early on as if the Falcons might have a slight advantage in endurance as they were substituting five new players in at a time. Pointer Natalie Chubb picked up her second foul early at the 6:44 mark and was sent to the bench, but there was no let up as Destinee Kruser came into the game and scored the next basket which was part of a 9-2 run, four coming from Jessica Schultz in the middle. The foul woes continued as Chambers picked up her second late in the frame, but the Pointers closed on a 5-0 run that included a three from Sydney Staver and a bucket from Carlie Qualley, to take a 19-8 lead.
Brookwood held the Pointers scoreless until the 3:07 mark of the second quarter when Chambers hit another from long range. Lucky for the Pointers, the Falcons only mustered three points during the Mineral Point dry spell. A three pointer from Falcon Leticya Madrigal with six seconds to go brought her team within 30-17 at the halftime break, but the Pointers were still fully in command.
Scoring slowed way down for both teams in the third quarter. Again the Pointers were held without a field goal until late in the frame when Chambers scored at the 3:31 mark and was followed by an old-fashioned three point play from Schultz with 2:47 to go, which would be the last Pointer points of the frame as they led 36-23 with eight minutes remaining.
Mineral Point got off to a hot start to begin the fourth quarter, but a Schultz field goal with 5:42 to go would be the last of the game for the Pointers. Brookwood was able to rally and got within six a few times, the last being with 1:10 to go on a free throw from Olivia Hansen, but that would be as close as the Falcons could get. Mineral Point was good enough down the stretch from the free throw line to preserve the victory, going nine for 15 in the final four minutes.
Briana Nelson was the lone Falcon in double digits with 12 points, seven in the fourth quarter.
Schultz led the Pointers with 18 while Chambers added 15.
"I told the girls at halftime that every team makes a run," said Pointer coach Mitch Wainwright. "Sometimes it comes early, sometimes late, sometimes it comes with the lead, and sometimes without, but we have to be able to withstand it, and we did because we knew it was coming."
"We had the opposite start to the game from what we had last night. We got out to a fast start and Clara set the tone early with her three pointer that gave everyone confidence. I think the long travel Brookwood had to do to get to the game tonight made a difference and had them sluggish at first, but in the long run, this proved to be the most intense game we've played all year."
"Even though we missed some shots, we were doing things right. We were making the extra pass, and waiting for a good shot and not forcing things."
"This was our first regional championship in 11 years, so it means a lot. Mineral Point has had some really good teams in between now and then, so for us to win makes it special," concluded the coach.
The Falcons completed their 2013-14 season with a 19-4 record. They were champions of the Scenic Bluffs Conference. The Pointers improved to 17-6.
Mineral Point advances to the sectional semifinal at Verona Thursday night against Cuba City. The winner of that game will meet the victor of Onalaska Luther/Markesan Satur-day night at DeForest with a state tournament berth on the line.
The state semifinal will be 8:15 pm on Thursday, March 20 at the Resch Center in Green Bay. The state final is set for 12:45 pm Saturday, March 22.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
B: 8-9-6-19--42
MP: 19-11-6-15--51
BOX SCORE
BROOKWOOD (fg-ft-tp) 42: Brueggen 2-0-4, Hansen 2-3/5-7, Hammon 0-1/2-1, Mendoza 2-1/1-5, Nelson 3-6/7-12, Madrigal 3-1/4-8, Berg 1-0-2, Laufenberg 0-3/4-3. Totals: 13-15/23-42. Fouls: 21. Fouled out: Brueggen. Three pointers: Madrigal 1.
MINERAL POINT 51: Staver 2-4/6-9, Chambers 5-3/5-15, Wainwright 1-0-2, Pilling 1-0-2, Qualley 1-0-2, Schmitz 1-1/2-3, Schultz 7-4/7-18. Totals: 18-11/20-51. Fouls: 21. Fouled out: Chubb. Three pointers: Chambers 2, Staver 1.