BOSCOBEL — Senior sharpshooter Haley Yelinek had the hot hand in Iowa–Grant’s 59–54 Southwestern Wisconsin Activities League win at Boscobel last Friday night.
Yelinek drained seven three-pointers and scored a game-high 23 points to lead the Panthers to a five-point win in the conference opener for both teams.
“They played a 2–3 zone for much of the first half and Haley is getting very good at noticing when she has separation from defenders,” said Iowa–Grant head coach Craig Jenkins. “She got off to a very good start and that really got us going. Whenever anyone plays a zone against us she knows she has the green light.”
Yelinek buried four triples in the first half as the Panthers (2–1, 1–0 SWAL) built a 26–24 halftime lead.
Freshman Leah Wacker scored 10 of her team-high 17 points in the first half to keep the winless Bulldogs (0–4, 0–1) close.
Boscobel grabbed a one-point lead with 12:05 left to play at 33–32, but Iowa–Grant rattled off a 12–0 run to take a commanding 44–33 lead.
Junior point guard Emma Liddicoat scored seven of her 18 points during the run. She also had seven rebounds, five steals and two assists in the win.
Boscobel twice cut the I–G lead to six points in the final five minutes, but Yelinek answered with a three-pointer each time. Yelinek grabbed five rebounds and committed just two turnovers in the win.
While, the Panthers shot just 16 of 32 from the free throw line for the game, then made just enough down the stretch (3 of 6) to hold on for the win.
Boscobel hit a late three to account for the final five-point margin.
Senior center Mariah Ginter posted a double–double of 10 points and 10 rebounds in the win for Iowa–Grant. Fellow senior Kristin Bingham added two points, five rebounds and a pair of steals off the bench filling in for Hailey Roth, who was in foul trouble much of the night before fouling out.
“Obviously we did not shoot well from the free throw line and we need to get better there, but I really like the effort and tempo the kids are playing with. I have to give Boscobel credit; they shot very well Friday night, but to go on the road in the SWAL and get a win is always difficult so we are pretty happy with that.”
Last Tuesday, River Ridge handed visiting Iowa–Grant a 53–42 non-conference loss.
Sierra Schier scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Timberwolves (2–0), who rallied from a 26–21 halftime deficit by outscoring the Panthers 32–16 in the second half.
Iowa–Grant pulled within four at 44–40 and had the ball with just over four minutes to play, but was called for traveling and Ridge scored on the ensuing possession.
“Midway through the second half you could tell we were starting to get tired,” said Jenkins. “Our execution wasn’t as good and we just weren’t finishing our shots. But we were right where we where we wanted to be and that’s all you can ask for.”
Ginter had 14 points and eight boards in the loss.
Liddicoat, who posted a triple–double of 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in the Panthers season-opening win over, Highland on Nov. 24, finished with 14 points, three rebounds and four steals.
Iowa–Grant will host Fennimore on Thursday before traveling to Mineral Point on Saturday.
River Ridge 53, Iowa–Grant 42
(from Tuesday, Dec. 1 @ Patch Grove)
Iowa–Grant 26 16 — 42
River Ridge 21 32 — 53
Iowa–Grant (1–1) — Kassidy Schroeder 3, Kristin Bingham 2, Mariah Ginter 14, Hailey Roth 3, Emma Liddicoat 15, Haley Yelinek 5. Totals — 17 6-12 42.
River Ridge (2–0) — Taylor Langmeier 4, Bridgette Myers 9, Rachel Herrick 3, Nicole Sturmer 11, Sierra Schier 17, Amber Patterson 9. Totals – 18 13-19 53.
3-point goals — IG: 2 (Yelinek 1, Schroeder 1); RR: 5 (Schier 5). Team fouls — IG: 18, RR: 12. Fouled out — none.
Iowa–Grant 59, Boscobel 54
(from Friday, Dec. 4 @ Boscobel)
Iowa–Grant 26 33 — 59
Boscobel 24 30 — 54
Iowa–Grant (2–1, 1–0) — Taylor Liddicoat 1, Kassidy Schroeder 4, Kristin Bingham 2, Mariah Ginter 10, Hailey Roth 1, Emma Liddicoat 18, Haley Yelinek 23. Totals — 18 16-32 59.
Boscobel (0–4, 0–1) — Danielle Ernst 13, Sydney Williams 7, Miranda Beinborn 5, Alyssa Davis 8, Leah Wacker 17, Katelyn Wiegel 2, Mackenzie Fischer 2. Totals – 19 11-22 54.
3-point goals — IG: 7 (Yelinek 7); B: 5 (Ernst 2, Wacker 3). Team fouls — IG: 20, B: 18. Fouled out — IG: IG: Roth; B: Ernst, Bray. Technical fouls — B: Bray.
