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Potosi press flattens Braves
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     BELMONT — There was nothing Belmont could do to slow down the high-scoring Potosi Chieftains in Thursday’s showdown of Six Rivers West unbeatens.

     Potosi came into the night averaging 74 points per game through five games this season and they were able to top their average as five players scored in double figures to lead the visiting Chieftains to an 82–51 victory over the Lady Braves at BHS on Dec. 10.

     Senior guard Calie Gibson netted a game-high 17 points and grabbed six rebounds to pace the Chieftains (5–1 overall, 2–0 SRW), while sophomore wing Abby Kaiser tallied 15 points, 10 steals and eight boards, and sophomore guard Hannah Udelhoven chipped in with 14 points.

     Sophomore forward Sophie Langkamp scored 13 points and had six rebounds, senior wing Taylor Bloyer added 11 points and senior point guard Maddie Hawes had eight points, eight assists and five rebounds for Potosi (5–1, 2–0), which joins Shullsburg (4–0, 1–0) as the only other unbeaten team in the SRW after River Ridge (3–1, 1–1) knocked off Benton (5–2, 2–1) on Thursday as well.

     The Chieftains used their touted full-court pressure to sprint out to a 39–23 halftime lead, and then kept the pressure on for much of the second half outscoring the Braves, 43–28, to run away with a 31-point decision.

     “We didn’t handle the press very well,” admitted Belmont head coach Alan Seebrooke. “I thought we played scared and hesitant against the pressure. We will use it as a learning tool and get better against the press.”

     Junior forward Caitlyn Gilbertson scored nine of her team-high 14 points in the second half to lead the Braves. Sophomore forward Briana Ernst followed with 12 points, while senior point guard Brook Knebel added seven points and sophomore forward Kassandra Palzkill contributed five for the hosts.

     Kaiser recorded 10 of the Chieftains’ 23 steals and matched Bloyer with a team-high eight rebounds.

     Belmont hosts Highland in a Six Rivers West game on Thursday, Dec. 17, starting at 7 p.m., and the Braves head to Boscobel for a non-conference contest on Tuesday, Dec. 22, at 7:30 p.m.

     Potosi also routed Argyle 78–47 in a non-conference game last Tuesday.

     Hawes scored a game-high 26 points with nine assists, five rebounds and four steals in the lopsided win.
Kaiser added 21 points, six rebounds, and six steals and Langkamp reached double figures with 12 points.

     The Chieftains have now scored at least 74 points in all five of their wins. Only Galena has held Potosi in check this year in a 57–52 victory over the Chieftains on Nov. 28.

     Potosi will travel to undefeated Shullsburg (4–0, 1–0) on Thursday night and will host River Ridge on Friday.

Potosi 82, Belmont 51
(from Thursday, Dec. 10 @ Belmont)

Potosi            39    43     —  82
Belmont        23    28     —  51
Potosi (5–1, 2–0) — Taylar Pluemer 3, Abby Kaiser 15, Maddie Hawes 8, Taylor Bloyer 11, Sophie Langkamp 13, Harmony Jantzen 1, Calie Gibson 17. Totals — 26 12–30 68.
Belmont (4–2, 1–1) — Abby Althaus 3, Nicole Knebel 2, Kassandra Palzkill 5, Briana Ernst 12, Sadie Willborn 4, Lydia Leahy 2, Caitlyn Gilbertson 14, Brook Knebel 7, CJ Vickerman 2. Totals – 18  14–34  51.
3-point goals — P: 6 (Pluemer 1, Hawes 1, Gibson 1, Udelhoven 3); B: (B. Knebel). Team fouls — P: 23, B: 21. Fouled out — B: Vickerman.

Potosi 78, Argyle 47
(from Tuesday, Dec. 8 @ Potosi)

Argyle           21    26     —  47
Potosi            47    31     —  78
Argyle (1–5) — Individual scoring not available.
Potosi (4–1) — Abby Kaiser 21, Maddie Hawes 26, Taylor Bloyer 2, Brittany Horner 2, Jadyn Noonan 2, Sophie Langkamp 12, Toni Pluemer 2, Calie Gibson 8, Hannah Udelhoven 2. Totals — 26 14–22 78.
3-point goals — A: n/a; P: 4 (Hawes 4). Team fouls — A: n/a, P: n/a.