GWINN---The Gladstone High School girls basketball team outscored the Gwinn Model Towners, 12-0, in the first quarter, and the Braves posted a 56-41 win Friday night.
Three Braves players scored in double figures, led by Callie Jensen's 13 points. Jess Beaudry added 12 points and Tinner Sharon contributed ten points.
"I think the girls came out hard and got off to a good start," Braves Coach Karl Dollhopf said. "When you're on the road, you need to get off to a good start and we did. The offensive part of it, we just hope to get better as the season goes on.
"But on the defensive end of it, I think the girls played well that way."
Gladstone used a full-court press defense to stop the Model Towners in their tracks.
"It (the press) was just to keep pressure on their guards," said Beaudry, one of the Brave's captains. "It takes the full team to do it, because if one player slacks off, the whole thing is shot."
The Gwinn girls also missed several easy baskets that would have stopped their dry spell, which ended on a Jordyn Hutchens three with 7:07 left in the second quarter.
The Model Towners climbed back into the game by outscoring the Braves, 16-10, in the second quarter. Hutchens and Bella Wedig both scored five points for Gwinn during that stretch.
Gladstone got some help off the bench with a couple of baskets from Bridget Becker, and Jensen nailed a three. The Braves led, 22-16, at halftime.
"That was a spark that I think we really needed," Dollhopf said of Becker's points. "She hit a couple of baskets, and I think that spark really held it together. I thought that the people who came in sustained that intensity and did enough to work through it."
"We're really deep this year, which is nice," Beaudry said. "We run fast breaks. We're always running. We're sprinting our hardest. It's great to have a bench behind you that you can rely on is awesome."
Gwinn scored the first basket of the third quarter to close to within four points, but the Braves turned up the defensive pressure another notch.
They forced several turnovers, and Gladstone scored eight straight points to build a 30-18 advantage.
Gladstone led, 35-24, after three quarters, and eventually grew the lead to 48-30 in the fourth quarter. Mackenzie Hollands scored two straight three's to bring Gwinn to within 48-36, but Beaudry scored two baskets and Sharon made four free throws to put it away.
Gladstone made 17 of 24 free throws. Gwinn was just 6-of-15 at the line. Nine of the ten Gladstone players scored in the game. Gladstone is now 2-0.
"I couldn't ask for any more," Dollhopf said. "Early on, before Christmas, we're just looking for chemistry. Some contenuity. Girls get to know their role, what their expectations are. So that puts us in a 2-0 situation heading into Marquette."
Yep, Marquette. The presumptual Great Northern Conference favorite.
The Marquette team which beat defending Class D state champion St. Ignace, 55-44, Friday night, at a tournament.
The Braves will try their hand against the Redettes on Tuesday.
"We know what Marquette's all about," Dollhopf said. "We're just gonna have to take good care of the ball. I'm real pleased with the fact that we have not turned the ball over a lot (in the first two games). And we're shooting better at the foul line. That will help."
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos, and to listen to interviews and audio highlights from the game.
Three Braves players scored in double figures, led by Callie Jensen's 13 points. Jess Beaudry added 12 points and Tinner Sharon contributed ten points.
Braves' Anna Caramella (5) plays defense.
"But on the defensive end of it, I think the girls played well that way."
Gladstone used a full-court press defense to stop the Model Towners in their tracks.
"It (the press) was just to keep pressure on their guards," said Beaudry, one of the Brave's captains. "It takes the full team to do it, because if one player slacks off, the whole thing is shot."
The Gwinn girls also missed several easy baskets that would have stopped their dry spell, which ended on a Jordyn Hutchens three with 7:07 left in the second quarter.
Hoops By Tinner Sharon (Gladstone) and Shelby Talsma (Gwinn)
Gladstone got some help off the bench with a couple of baskets from Bridget Becker, and Jensen nailed a three. The Braves led, 22-16, at halftime.
"That was a spark that I think we really needed," Dollhopf said of Becker's points. "She hit a couple of baskets, and I think that spark really held it together. I thought that the people who came in sustained that intensity and did enough to work through it."
Gwinn scored the first basket of the third quarter to close to within four points, but the Braves turned up the defensive pressure another notch.
They forced several turnovers, and Gladstone scored eight straight points to build a 30-18 advantage.
Gladstone led, 35-24, after three quarters, and eventually grew the lead to 48-30 in the fourth quarter. Mackenzie Hollands scored two straight three's to bring Gwinn to within 48-36, but Beaudry scored two baskets and Sharon made four free throws to put it away.
Jess Beaudry post-game interview
"I couldn't ask for any more," Dollhopf said. "Early on, before Christmas, we're just looking for chemistry. Some contenuity. Girls get to know their role, what their expectations are. So that puts us in a 2-0 situation heading into Marquette."
Yep, Marquette. The presumptual Great Northern Conference favorite.
Gladstone's Callie Jensen with the three-pointer.
The Braves will try their hand against the Redettes on Tuesday.
"We know what Marquette's all about," Dollhopf said. "We're just gonna have to take good care of the ball. I'm real pleased with the fact that we have not turned the ball over a lot (in the first two games). And we're shooting better at the foul line. That will help."
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos, and to listen to interviews and audio highlights from the game.
Gladstone's Tinner Sharon (25) drives to the basket during Friday's game in Gwinn. (Mike Dagenais photo)
