Coming into the 2022-23 season, Head Coach John Kamkutis knew that the strength of the NDCL Lions girls basketball team would be senior leadership.
Game photos click here.
Coming into the 2022-23 season, Head Coach John Kamkutis knew that the strength of the NDCL Lions girls basketball team would be senior leadership.
Returning eight seniors, Kamkutis believed his team would rely on varsity experience in crucial game situations — and that is exactly what happened in the Lions’ come-from-behind 40-29 victory Dec. 30 over the Berkshire Badgers.
After trailing, 9-2 with 1:44 left in the first quarter, the Lions came roaring back behind the play of their seniors.
In particular, they were led by seniors Melissa Brownlee (13 points), Ava Baeslach (11 points) and Aubriana Hills (10 points).
In the first quarter, the Badgers opened up a big lead on four three-pointers, including two three-pointers by Natalie Hering and two three-pointers by Maddy Triskett.
Entering the second quarter trailing 12-6, Brownlee scored nine out of the 13 Lions second-quarter points to propel her team to a 19-16 halftime lead.
Brownlee mentioned, after the game, the importance of keeping a high level of focus and intensity throughout.
“To start off the game, we really wanted to focus on our intensity, and so starting out with a lot of intensity and following through with a lot of intensity,” she said.
Though it was a close game for most of the second half, the Lions continued to play with high levels of the qualities Brownlee called out. This concentration allowed the Lions to pull away toward the middle of the fourth quarter behind clutch performances by seniors Aubriana Hills and Ava Baeslach.
Hills noted the importance of staying mentally focused throughout the whole game, which not only helped defensively, but led to scoring.
“I think staying mentally tough on both the defensive end and that (offensive end) turned into buckets, worked well for us, and working as a team today worked well for us,” Hills said.
Hills led the way for the Lions with eight points in the second half and 10 total for the game. Baeslach also had nine points in the second half and 11 total for the game.
Throughout the contest, seniors Hills and Baeslach showed their mental toughness by calmly converting nine of 10 foul shots. In fact, they made seven out eight free throws during the second half.
“It was just really about knocking them down, that’s what was important,” said Baeslach, a St. Vincent College commit. “I just went up there, stepped up there and knocked them down. At the end of the day, we got the W.”
In addition to Ava’s excellent offensive shooting performance, Coach Kamkutis discussed her excellent rebounding ability in the post.
“Ava’s just strong on the glass, and when she turns her shoulders and finds the rim, it’s just tough to stop her,” Kamkutis said.
Coach Kamkutis also noted the importance of the energy and intensity brought by the Lions underclassmen during the second, third and fourth quarters.
“We brought a sophomore and a freshman up and put them in there in the second, third and fourth quarter and let them play,” Kamkutis said. “So we played with a little bit better energy and went after things.
“I tell them, small wins equals big wins, and that’s what we did. We won a lot of the small stuff, we won the rebounds, we controlled our turnovers.”
Other Lions scoring points were Emma Clayton (2), Lexi Simon (2) and Emma Surby (2).
The Badgers’ point-leaders for the game were Maddy Triskett (14), Natalie Hening (8), Caroline Kuchling (5) and Lanie Wadsworth (2).
