Kewaunee storms back into state title game

ASHWAUBENON - Only five teams all season have reached 40 points against Kewaunee, so the Storm knows if it’s going to defend its Division 3 girls basketball state title this weekend the defense will once again have to be a major reason.

Friday morning, the Storm returned to the state tournament for third year in a row and faced Lodi in a state semifinal.

The Storm showed why nobody likes playing against it because it continually pressured Lodi and never made anything easy. Kewaunee’s defense never rests and now it’s one game away from repeating as the Storm handcuffed Lodi, 40-27, at the Resch Center.

Kewaunee will play East Troy for the gold ball on Saturday at about 2:30 p.m.

“Coming back, we know we have to stay calm,” senior Kelsey Stangel said. “The atmosphere’s huge here; you have to be able to take it all in.”

Kewaunee (26-1) was able to win by double digits despite having an off offensive game. The Storm shot 15 of 42 from the field (35.7 percent), including 3 for 17 from beyond the arc.

However, the defense forced 18 turnovers and held the Blue Devils (24-3) to 12-of-41 shooting (29.3 percent), which is why the Storm was never seriously threatened in the second half.

Senior post Kelsey Stangel said her team works on the opponent’s mind during games.

“I do feel like we try to get in their heads,” Richard said. “Coaches are trying to get us to do what we always do in practice, get up in their face. We just like getting in their head.”

Lodi’s point total was its lowest of the season, but Kewaunee never got rolling. Lodi played a 2-3 zone most of the game and the Storm, at times, seemed to rush its offense.

It led to Kewaunee’s third-lowest scoring output of the season. Coach Lynn Geier knew her team had to take its time against the Lodi zone.

“We knew we were going to have to be patient to execute against the zone,” Geier said. “We wanted to look for some hi-lows. We felt the high post would be open. We felt the short corner would be open. We didn’t work it as well as we wanted to work it.

“The execution wasn’t where we anted it, but it got us to the title game.”

When Kewaunee was patient Stangel (17 points and 10 rebounds) and Richard (14 points) had room to work. Point guard Jill Kleiman (8 points, 5 assists) was in charge of finding her posts and she did.

In fact, the senior trio scored 39 of Kewaunee’s 40 points.

“Those are three kids that take control sometimes,” Geier said. “They’ve been around this game long enough, they’ve been part of three teams that have made state. They know how to get it done.”

The trio will try to get it done one more time. Kewaunee is 1-1 in the last two state final games and it hopes to move to 2-1. Notwithstanding, Richard doesn’t feel like her team is trying to defend anything.

“I feel like we’re not trying to defend, we’re trying to go at it,” Richard said. “I feel like we don’t have anything over them. I feel like it’s a level competition here and we need to play our hardest and just go at it.”

• 3-pointers: The teams combined to shoot 5 for 27 from 3-point range (18.5 percent). … Lodi had a minus-10 assist to turnover ratio while Kewaunee was minus-three. … Stangel (four steals) Richard (four steals) and Kleiman (three steals) combined for 11 of Kewaunees’ 12 steals.
• Game ball: Stangel, who had a double-double in addition to four steals.
• Numbers game: 1 Win away Kewaunee is from repeating as state champs.

For a complete boxscore, click this link: http://www.wiaawi.org/Portals/0/PDF/Results/Basketball_Girls/2013/div3sf1.htm

Follow Doug Ritchay on Twitter @dougritchay

doug.ritchay@wluk.com