No. 2 Rice Lake rolls Rhinelander 72-32

The Rice Lake Warriors showed the Rhinelander High School girls’ basketball team Tuesday night it still has a long way to go in order to compete with some of the best players and teams in the state.

Senior Adaline Sheplee netted her 2,000th career point as part of a 28-point effort and the second-ranked Warriors routed the Hodags 72-32 at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.

Sheplee, who has committed to the University of Wisconsin as part of a notable in-state recruiting class for the Badgers, needed 17 points to hit the milestone. She got it on a layup with 16:11 remaining in the second half. 

Entering this season, only 44 players had eclipsed the 2,000-point mark in Wisconsin high school girls’ basketball history. Rhinelander coach Ryan Clark, whose daughters play with the same club as Sheplee on the AAU circuit, said the 6-3 standout who received plenty of Power 4 offers, is deserving of the accolades she’s received. 

“She’s a fantastic player. She’s even a better kid. She’s a wonderful, wonderful kid … Just the nicest girl,” he said. “She’s (ranked) 47th in the country, a high 4-star player. Pretty awesome get for Wisconsin to get her. She’s had Oregon, she had all kinds of big schools that wanted her. But she chose to stay home. Hopefully that’ll change the Wisconsin Badgers, get more kids to stay home. A kid that you just cheer for, you root for — plays the right way, really hard worker, super kind kid. Just tremendous. I hope she gets Miss basketball this year. I think she’s the most deserving.”

Sheplee was hard to guard Tuesday as she finished 12 of 16 from the field, knocked down all three of her 3-point attempts and added seven rebounds. 

“We did everything we could to guard her, but she’s tough. She can hit the 3, she gets to the rim. She’s smooth, plays hard,” coach Clark said. “Hopefully all the little girls came to watch. I tried to promote it. You’ve one of the best players in the country coming to our gym. And that’s through hard work, obviously, God-given talent and height and athleticism, but also a lot of hard work.”

Aubryn Clark scored 10 points for Rhinelander (13-10, 9-4 Great Northern) and gave the Hodags’ their lone lead of the game on a 3 roughly a minute into the game, but it was all Rice Lake from there. Rhinelander hung around for a while, and trailed 28-17 late in the first half. The Warriors (20-3, 11-2 Big Rivers) scored the final five points to take a 16-point lead to the break and opened the second half on a 25-3 run to turn the game into a rout.

“Initially, I thought we did OK. I thought we came out and we had some good intensity. Early in the first half, we had to get back on defense. They kind of surprised us and they get out in transition,” coach Clark said. “But second half, it’s just like there’s no resistance at all. We got to be better. I told them, it’s a tough team to beat, but losing by 40 tells me there’s not enough mental resolve. 

“The second half is just disappointing. For the first half, to be battling, but still down, I thought I was happy with what we were doing. I thought we were OK. They were a little bit better than us, but I thought we were competing. Second half, I just think we let the game just get away from us.”

    Rhinelander’s Maddie Paulson drives against Rice Lake’s Addison Schmidt during the second half of a non-conference girls’ basketball game at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium Tuesday, Feb. 17. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

Sheplee is not the only Division-I recruit the Warriors possess. Junior Addison Schmidt, who has committed to Green Bay for both basketball and volleyball, added 14 points and 13 rebounds and the Warriors were efficient, shooting 54% (28 of 52) from the field.

Aubryn Clark was Rhinelander’s only player in double figures, but she was shut out in the second half. Rhinelander shot just 21% (10 of 47) in the contest and was 5 of 24 from 3-point range. 

“We’ll get better. I told the girls, it’s an opportunity before the playoffs, an opportunity to play a legit team with legit, really good players, well-coached, well-organized,” coach Clark said. “The role players play very good basketball as well. But I would like to see a little bit more. I think we have it in us to (have) a little bit more basketball toughness.”

As for the playoffs, it was announced Sunday that the Hodags earned the No. 3 seed in their half sectional and will host a regional semifinal game against either Pulaski or Antigo Friday, Feb. 27 at the Miazga Gym.

Rhinelander was the No. 3 seed when the midseason report was unveiled Jan. 31, and was hoping to jump Marinette (12-11) for the No. 2 seed, but Marinette remained the second seed, behind Shawano.

“We thought we’d be the two or the three. I thought we might jump to the two. I thought New London might jump up. New London had 12 wins like Marinette, and they beat Marinette last week by 18. And they beat Shawano also this year,” coach Clark said. “I’m sure they’re a little frustrated where they’re at because I think they probably thought, on paper, they’ve done what they need to do. We’re fine. I think, but Pulaski’s a tough one, coming from that conference over in the (Fox River Classic Conference) with the De Pere, Green Bay Notre Dame, Bay Port. There’s some really good basketball teams.

“We’ve got to be a ready right from the start with the playoffs for sure. But happy to get it at home, and we’re excited for that opportunity when it comes.”

The Hodags will close out the regular season at home tonight against Lakeland. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].