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Cuba City put together a bunch of fast break points along with another group of put-back rebounds in a 68-54 SWAL conference girls basketball win over Mineral Point Thursday night.
The win gave the WIAA Division 4 top ranked Cubans a two game lead on the Pointers in conference play.
Cuba City's Jessi Marti and Molly Wedige split the scoring heroics into separate halves. Marti scored 17 of her game-high 26 points in the first half and Wedige came up with 17 of her 25 in the second part of the game. Most of Marti's came in transition on fast break lay ups while Wedige was the beneficiary of 14 rebounds, putting several back up for two points.
Pointer Natalie Chubb scored the initial basket of the game, but Cuban Chloe Pustina sank a three pointer to give her team a 3-2 lead, one they never relinquished.
The Cubans then went on a 7-0 run following Pustina's shot and quickly led 10-2.
A shot from downtown and two conventional buckets by Marti, five points by Wedige and a two pointer by Shay Lierman gave the Cubans 17 points in the first frame.
The Pointers rallied some from that margin on two pointers by Syd Staver, Clara Chambers and Carlie Qualley and a three from Jena Pilling to pull to a 17-11 score.
Marti popped in 10 of her team's 20 points in the second frame with the Pointers countering with 14 for a 37-25 CC edge at the half.
McKenzie Schmitz, Myah Aschliman, Qualley and Staver each hit buckets with Qualley's being from downtown. Staver and Destinee Kruser added free throws.
The Pointers would pull to within four points and six points several times in the third quarter with Staver converting baskets twice, Chambers, Qualley and Pilling once each and Aschliman nailing a three. At the end of three, with six players scoring, Cuba City led 58-41.
The fourth quarter saw Wedige going 2x2 from the free throw line and hitting three buckets and Rachel Langmeier hitting one for the Cubans.
Staver hit a three and a free throw, Kruser scored twice, Megan Blume once and Aschliman connected for a three. The Pointers outscored the Cubans 13-10, but it was too little, too late.
Staver led the Pointer offensively with 13 points with eight teammates scoring.
"We had talked about their knockout punch whether it was going to be their full court press, their 1-3-1 trap or their fast break. They took the fast break and we didn't recognize it very well," said Pointer coach Mitch Wainwright following the contest. "We were able to get close - down to six, but then they'd go back up 12. We'd get it down to eight and we'd let them off the hook. Jessi (Marti) had a lot of lay ups in the third quarter and Wedige hurt us inside."
"I'm proud of the kids. They battled and never stopped working. Our bench with Myah hitting some big threes and Jena getting a couple of buckets plus Megan and McKenzie, all scoring - all contributed. After awhile we started taking our shots in rhythm like we're supposed to."
SCORE BY QUARTERS
CC 17 20 21 10-68
MP 11 14 16 13-54
BOX SCORE
CUBA CITY 68 (fg, ft, tp) Jones 0-0-0, Marti 12-1/3-26, Averkamp 0-0-0, Pustina 1-2/2-5, Langmeier 2-0-4, Lierman 3-0-6, Kaiser 1-0-2, Vosberg 0-0-0, Wedige 10-5/6-25. Totals 29-8/11-68. F-12. 3-pointers: Marti 1, Pustina 1.
MINERAL POINT 54: Staver 5-2/3-13, Kruser 3-2/2-8, Chambers 1-0-2, Chubb 3-0-6, Qualley 3-0-8, Aschliman 3-0-8, Johnson 0-0-0, Pilling 2-0-5, Blume 1-0-2, Schmitz 1-0-2. Totals 22-4/5-54. F-13. 3-pointers: Staver 1, Qualley 2, Aschliman 2, Pilling 1.