Lady Hodags can’t keep up with second-ranked Assumption

The constant pressure applied by the Wisconsin Rapids Assumption Royals on Tuesday night eventually became too much for the Rhinelander High School girls’ basketball team to withstand.

The Hodags committed 44 turnovers and fell to the Royals 59-29 on the road in non-conference play. 

Assumption (14-1, 10-0 Marawood South), ranked No. 2 in the latest WisSports.net D5 coaches poll, took control during a 26-1 run in the first half and never looked back against a short-handed Hodag squad, which was without standout guard Aubryn Clark (back) for a fourth straight contest. 

“As the game wore on the relentless pressure, they pressed really well,” Hodag coach Ryan Clark said. “They rotate well. They do a great job of pressing the ball without fouling. They don’t let you just flash to the open spot. They know where the rotations are coming from. So, as the game went on, they just wore us more.

“I mean it’s hard to say after all those turnovers, but I thought a lot of ways we grew a little bit as a team in a lot of different ways individually today too, so we battled hard. That’s just a better team.”

The Hodags (10-7, 5-3 Great Northern) hung with Assumption for the first five minutes or so. Vivian Lamers hit a 3 on the opening possession and Lexi Beran had two makes in the lane that had the Hodags down just 9-7 4:15 into the contest, but the Hodags wouldn’t make another field goal until a Beran three-point play with 2.3 seconds left in the half and the Royals expanded the lead to 35-11 at the break. 

Rhinelander opened the second half on a 6-1 run, but Assumption inched away, going up 32 on a left-wing 3 by Ari Cavanaugh with 4:48 to play. 

Beran had nine points to lead the Hodags while Kelsey Winter had seven and JaLyn LaChapelle chipped in six points off the bench. 

Assumption stayed in the press, even with a large lead late in the contest, which coach Clark said was by request. 

“We wanted them to continue to press and challenge us. They did, so great opportunity this time of the season to make a lot of good mistakes,” he said. “I saw Vivian getting better and better against the pressure, using her feet. I thought Kelsey and Dawsyn (Barkus) did a nice job at times. JaLyn had some decisive moments against the pressure and Lexi was much more aggressive in the middle.”

Anna Schooley and Jordyn Jaglinski each had 10 points for a balanced Assumption attack. Claire Nelson added nine points while Sarah Shaw had eight. 

Rhinelander returns to action tonight on the road at Northland Pines. The Hodags defeated the Eagles 70-22 when the teams met in Rhinelander back on Dec. 13.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].