ISHPEMING---The Gladstone Braves girls basketball team used tough defense and just enough offense to beat the Ishpeming Hematites, 38-36, Thursday night in Ishpeming.
Anna Caramella blocked the game-winning three-point shot at the buzzer, and the Braves stayed patient despite falling behind after giving up eight straight points early in the third quarter. Braves Coach Karl Dollhopf called it a big win for his group of girls.
"The girls are smart enough and they adjusted," Dollhopf said. "It had been a rough game, and the referees were very consistent on both sides. They weren't calling a lot of 'touch' fouls."
"So, they let the girls finish the game. We're starting to figure out who were are and what we can do. The girls gave themselves an opportunity, and they finished."
The Braves had the lead, 38-33, with two minutes left when Dollhopf stalled and tried to get to the foul line. But two straight turnovers led to a free throw and a basket for Ishpeming, and the Hematites closed to within 38-36.
Gladstone nearly turned it over again, but Alexis St. Cyr saved the possession by hustling with Ashley Edwardsen and Leigha Woelffer to get to the loose ball. Woelffer got fouled a monent later, but she missed the front end of a one-and-one.
Ishpeming ran the clock to 14.4 seconds, and then called a time out to set up a play. The Braves were not in the bonus on personal fouls, and as time ran down, the girls made a risky-but-successful move in making a foul...on the floor...with 2.9 seconds left.
"You always second guess yourself on that one because you always have that picture in your mind that we go to foul and the girl goes into the act of shooting and it's a shooting foul," Dollhopf said. "But this group is smart. I have a group of really smart girls, and they get it. So, when it (the clock) wound down, and we got the opportunity to get one (a non-shooting foul), they did."
And so, Ishpeming had to inbound the ball, and get off a shot. Marissa Maino launched a three at the horn that Caramella got a piece of. The ball fell well short of the hoop.
"Taking it out of bounds with no time-outs on the sideline?," Dollhopf said. "That (foul on the floor) helped. And Anna was all over that and I think she blocked it. Anna played it aggressive, and she played it hard."
Gladstone had just enough offense to win this game. The Braves led, 17-14, at halftime, before Ishpeming used a full-court press to start the third quarter.
The Hematites forced three turnovers and went on an 8-0 run, with Kaylie Engler scoring five.
That put Ishpeming ahead, 22-17, but Dollhopf called a time out and settled his team down. The patience worked, as the Braves matched Ishpeming's run with an 8-0 spurt of their own, with St. Cyr scoring six of the points to make it a 25-22 Braves lead.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Ishpeming had a two-point lead when Edwardsen came up big. She scored a pair of three-pointers from the left corner, with 5:25 and with 4:09 left in the game. Those two shots put Gladstone in front, 38-33.
"He (Dollhopf) told us that if we're open, shoot it," Edwardsen said. "So that's what I did. Marquette is such a great team, and to be so close, that was great. And then to come to Ishpeming, and they're such a great team, it's just a wonderful win."
"We tried to get Alexis to create," Dollhopf said. "So, Ashley's (defensive) person helped up, and Ashley got her feet set and she let 'er fly. She showed great confidence. That was a huge lift for us."
Another huge lift came from bench play of Izzy Mathews. She didn't get much playing time in the first couple of games, but the 6-foot-2 junior was called upon several times Thursday night.
She scored six points and had a key blocked shot as well.
"I'm a lot happier than I was a few games ago," Mathews said about her playing time on Thursday. "It (the blocked shot) felt great. Coming off the bench, it feels really good to contribute to the team. That block just really made my game!"
"Izzy is just transitioning in and trying to find out what it is to play varsity," Diollhopf said. "She's doing a great job. You'll see her more and more as the season moves on."
St. Cyr had her second straight strong game for the Braves, scoring a game-high 16 points, including a trio of three-point baskets.
Engler led Ishpeming with 14 points, and teammate Jessica Spencer added 13.
Gladstone (2-2) travels to Kingsford next Tuesday night.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos taken by Mike Dagenais, and to hear post-game interviews.
Anna Caramella blocked the game-winning three-point shot at the buzzer, and the Braves stayed patient despite falling behind after giving up eight straight points early in the third quarter. Braves Coach Karl Dollhopf called it a big win for his group of girls.
"So, they let the girls finish the game. We're starting to figure out who were are and what we can do. The girls gave themselves an opportunity, and they finished."
The Braves had the lead, 38-33, with two minutes left when Dollhopf stalled and tried to get to the foul line. But two straight turnovers led to a free throw and a basket for Ishpeming, and the Hematites closed to within 38-36.
Gladstone nearly turned it over again, but Alexis St. Cyr saved the possession by hustling with Ashley Edwardsen and Leigha Woelffer to get to the loose ball. Woelffer got fouled a monent later, but she missed the front end of a one-and-one.
Replay of Game's Final Play
"You always second guess yourself on that one because you always have that picture in your mind that we go to foul and the girl goes into the act of shooting and it's a shooting foul," Dollhopf said. "But this group is smart. I have a group of really smart girls, and they get it. So, when it (the clock) wound down, and we got the opportunity to get one (a non-shooting foul), they did."
Blocked Shot on Game's Final Play
"Taking it out of bounds with no time-outs on the sideline?," Dollhopf said. "That (foul on the floor) helped. And Anna was all over that and I think she blocked it. Anna played it aggressive, and she played it hard."
The Hematites forced three turnovers and went on an 8-0 run, with Kaylie Engler scoring five.
That put Ishpeming ahead, 22-17, but Dollhopf called a time out and settled his team down. The patience worked, as the Braves matched Ishpeming's run with an 8-0 spurt of their own, with St. Cyr scoring six of the points to make it a 25-22 Braves lead.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Ishpeming had a two-point lead when Edwardsen came up big. She scored a pair of three-pointers from the left corner, with 5:25 and with 4:09 left in the game. Those two shots put Gladstone in front, 38-33.
Braves Ashley Edwardsen post-game comments
"We tried to get Alexis to create," Dollhopf said. "So, Ashley's (defensive) person helped up, and Ashley got her feet set and she let 'er fly. She showed great confidence. That was a huge lift for us."
She scored six points and had a key blocked shot as well.
"I'm a lot happier than I was a few games ago," Mathews said about her playing time on Thursday. "It (the blocked shot) felt great. Coming off the bench, it feels really good to contribute to the team. That block just really made my game!"
"Izzy is just transitioning in and trying to find out what it is to play varsity," Diollhopf said. "She's doing a great job. You'll see her more and more as the season moves on."
St. Cyr had her second straight strong game for the Braves, scoring a game-high 16 points, including a trio of three-point baskets.
Engler led Ishpeming with 14 points, and teammate Jessica Spencer added 13.
Gladstone (2-2) travels to Kingsford next Tuesday night.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos taken by Mike Dagenais, and to hear post-game interviews.
