Lady Hodags struggle offensively in loss to Wis. Rapids

One look at the shooting statistics tells the story for the Rhinelander High School girls’ basketball team Friday night at home against Wisconsin Rapids.

The Lady Hodags shot only 29% from the field while the Raiders shot 49%. That ultimately proved to be the difference as Rhinelander’s late rally fell short in a 47-38 loss to Wisconsin Rapids at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.

Down as many as 13 points in the second half, the Hodags rallied to tie the game on a JaLyn LaChapelle 3 with 4:06 remaining. Rhinelander missed its final nine shot attempts, however, and the Raiders closed on an 11-2 run to put the game away.

“I thought we just didn’t match their energy,” Hodag coach Ryan Clark said afterward. “I thought we just gave up some strong-hand layups that we don’t usually do, didn’t rebound as well as we have been and then I think, offensively, we just kind of struggled.”

The Raiders successfully slowed down Rhinelander’s leading scorer Aubryn Clark, holding her to 17 points on 5 of 19 shooting. Rapids consistently threw two or three defenders at the sophomore and the Hodags weren’t able to take advantage with other players. LaChapelle (nine points) and Lexi Beran (six) were the only other Hodags to score multiple field goals on Friday.

“Lots of attention on Aubryn and we just didn’t execute,” coach Clark said. “We didn’t recognize — like some of our screening slips, or some of us just flashed the open spot. We didn’t recognize (the double team) very well to take advantage of that.” 

“We’re going to see this pretty much most of the year and (Aubryn’s) got to do a better job,” coach Clark added. “She’s got to get better at recognizing when she’s got the double, triple (team), three kids come over and shadowing her really strong, find where all the rotations are coming from and then find the open girl.”

    Rhinelander’s JaLyn LaChapelle puts up a shot against Wisconsin Rapids’ Kristin Radtke during the second half of a non-conference girls’ basketball game at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium Friday, Jan. 3. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

Kristin Radtke had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead Wisconsin Rapids, including a 3 as part of a 7-2 run to open the second half that put Rapids up 31-18. Aubryn Clark answered with seven straight points to cut the lead to five and then LaChapelle got hot, scoring all nine of her points in a 4 1/2-minute stretch including a 3 that knotted the game at 36-all. 

Gabby Neilitz hit a free throw on Rapids’ next possession to give the Raiders the lead again, followed by two free throws from Lexi Cour and a drive to the hoop by Rachel Linzmeier that made it 41-36 with 2:39 remaining. Neither team scored from there until a series a free throws in the final minute.

“JaLyn had really good hustle plays on defense and then makes the 3 to tie it. So we had the crowd behind us and then, but that was kind of all we had. They made a little run back,” coach Clark said.

The Hodags made only one field goal — an Ella Miljevich layup — over the first 10 minutes of the game as the Raiders raced out to a 13-4 lead. Rhinelander got to within four with 5:08 left in the half, but Rapids closed on a 9-4 run to take a 24-16 lead to the break. 

Rapids was efficient against Rhinelander pressure. Though the Raiders committed 18 turnovers, they held the Hodags to only 11 points off turnovers and six points in transition. Rapids also corralled 10 offensive rebounds that led to 10 second-chance points. 

“We gotta do a little better job, even if we’re not scoring on the offense, just locking defensively. I thought we struggled on the glass,” coach Clark said.

Rhinelander (8-3, 4-0 Great Northern) travels to Three Lakes tonight, its final tuneup prior to a pivotal GNC showdown at home against No. 10 (D2) Lakeland this coming Friday night.

“Three Lakes Tuesday, it’ll be a fun one just because you know it’ll be a be a pretty hostile environment. They’ll be pretty excited to play us. Then Friday night doubleheader Lakeland is an extremely talented team so we got to come out ready to attack them and compete.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].