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By Levi Zimmerman
The Mineral Point girls basketball team picked up where they left off last season after finishing runner-up at the WIAA Division 4 State Championship in February.
The 2021 season looks just as promising, as the team lost just one starter in Macy Aschliman.
The Pointers are led by senior point guard and leading-scorer Mallory Lindsey, who recently committed to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh to continue her basketball career.
Joining Lindsey in the back court is senior Ella Chambers, who averaged 10.4 points per game last season and led Mineral Point in assists per game.
Also returning in her senior campaign is Blair Watters; she averaged eight point four points per game and shot a team-best 45 percent from the field.
Watters was also the leading rebounder for Mineral Point with eight point two rebounds per game.
The fourth returning starter is six foot forward Kennedy Wenger, a junior.
Wenger averaged eight point six points per game as a sophomore and was a dominant presence around the paint.
Other returnees are senior Delaney Ross and junior Katelyn Cox.
Joining the varsity squad is junior Kennedy Kabat, sophomore Belle Watters and freshman Laci Lindsey.
Mineral Point is led by second-year head coach Mike Keyes, who installed a tenacious defensive scheme that creates turnovers and pressures the ball in the full court.
The Pointers have a prolific offense that shoots the three-pointer well and pushes the ball up the court to look for high-percentage shots.
Tuesday night was a reminder that the Pointers are one of the best basketball teams in the state.
The Pointers jumped on the Hornets early by taking a 19-8 lead.
Lindsey drilled a pair of threes, and Chambers made one, as did Watters.
Richland Center cut the lead to six points with a three-pointer by Lexi Mieden and a two by McKenna Monson.
After a timeout by Keyes, Mineral Point went on a tear.
Watters corralled back-to-back rebounds, was fouled, and hit both free throws to start the run.
Wenger scored down low.
Blair's sister, Belle Watters, entered the game and had consecutive assists to Lindsey, who splashed another three, then to Wenger for a score.
Wenger scored the next five points for the Pointers.
Freshman guard Laci Lindsey came into the game and passed to Wenger for another bucket to put Mineral Point up, 33-16.
Laci scored her first points of her high school career with a layup after an offensive rebound.
The Pointers held a 39-24 lead at halftime.
The second half featured more of the same, with Belle Watters stealing a pass and passing to Chambers for a two-point score.
Chambers had a steal and score just a minute later.
The Pointers put a full-court press defense on Richland Center that continued to cause turnovers and tipped passes.
After an offensive rebound by Belle Watters, Laci Lindsey passed to cousin Mallory Lindsey, who drained a three-pointer.
Belle Watters stole the ball once again on the next lay and scored it herself to put Mineral Point ahead, 51-34.
The Hornets were able to get scores here and there, but they couldn't make any runs.
Monson scored an and-one for Richland Center and converted the free throw.
Mallory Lindsey made her seventh three-point field goal of the game with six minutes left in regulation to put the Pointers up by 21.
Wenger hit both free throws after being fouled underneath to score 15 points on the night.
Monson scored the final four points for the Hornets.
Blair Watters hit a two-point field goal with a minute left to seal a 71-52 victory for Mineral Point.
Keyes was happy with Mineral Point's start.
"It was a good start. Overall, we valued the basketball and had under 12 turnovers. Offensively, we were able to create with our defense," said Keyes.
He credited some Pointers who performed well in different areas of the game.
"Belle Watters came off the bench to give us some good defense with a lot of deflections. Kennedy Wenger had a good night in the post as well as being solid on defense and on the glass for us. Mallory and Ella both shot it well," Keyes stated.
SCORE BY HALVES
Richland Center 24 28 52
Mineral Point 39 32 71
BOX SCORE
RICHLAND CENTER 52: (fg-ft-tp)
Monson 6-2-14, Louis 4-0-11, Mieden 3-0-8, Kaszubski 1-1-3, Gander 6-0-12, Keller 1-0-2, Hockerman 1-0-2 Totals- 22-3/10-52 Fouls- 11
MINERAL POINT 71: (fg-ft-tp)
Ross 1-0-2, L. Lindsey 1-0-2, M. Lindsey 7-0-21, Be. Watters 1-0-2, Chambers 6-1-16, Kabat 1-0-2, Bl. Watters 3-2-10, Wenger 6-3-15, Cox 0-1-1, Totals- 26-7/10-71 Fouls- 15
3 point goals:
RC-(5) Louis 3, Mieden 2
MP-(12) Lindsey 7, Chambers 3, Bl. Watters 2