The Manawa girls’ basketball team completed the 2014 portion of its schedule by splitting a pair of games at the Almond-Bancroft Holiday Tournament.
The Wolves opened the tournament Dec. 29 with a 52-39 loss to Three Lakes, but snapped their seven-game losing streak the following day with a 64-35 win over Wisconsin Valley Lutheran in the consolation game.
Three Lakes 52, Manawa 39
The Wolves went into the locker room with a 27-23 halftime lead, but turned the ball over 11 times in the third quarter and managed only two field goals as the Bluejays took charge with a 13-2 run to start the second half.
Three Lakes opened the game with full-court pressure and forced five turnovers as the Bluejays jumped out to an early 10-4 led. Three-pointers from Alexis Wepner and Alissa Suehs pulled Manawa to within three at 12-9 with 2:29 left in the first quarter.
The Bluejays responded with a 6-0 run that carried over into the second quarter and an 18-11 lead. Carlee Zander started and finished Manawa’s 10-2 run with two three-pointers that gave the Wolves their first lead – 21-20 – with 2:29 left in the first half. Manawa’s defense forced nine turnovers in the second quarter.
Autumn Ferg opened the second half with a basket to give Manawa its largest led at 29-23, but the Bluejays turned up the defensive pressure and reeled off 13 straight points for a 36-29 lead. Zander’s basket finally ended the streak and Manawa trailed 38-32 after three quarters.
Suehs’ basket with just under four minutes to play cut Three Lakes’ lead to 40-36, but Manawa managed only three more points the rest of the way.
Zander led Manawa with 11 points and Haley Reierson chipped in with 10.
Manawa 64, WVL 35
The Wolves led from start to finish against the Wolves, as they managed 19 steals, with seven coming from Reierson.
The teams combined for 22 turnovers in the first quarter alone, but Manawa hit six of its first 12 shots to take a 20-8 lead into the second quarter.
The Wolves cooled off in the second half, but nine first-half steals and the play of Ferg and Sam Johnson helped give the Wolves a 35-18 halftime lead.
WVL refused to fold the tent, as they used an 11-3 run to open the second half. Ivy Zelinski tallied eight of her team’s 11 points, as her teammates set her up with four back door baskets and the Wolves were within 11 at 40-29 with 3:40 left in the third quarter.
Suehs sparked a 6-0 run for Manawa to grab control of the game at 46-29.
Manawa opened the fourth quarter with an 18-2 run, as Ferg scored seven of her team-high 13 points.
Brogan Bartel added 11 points and eight rebounds for Manawa, while Suehs and Wepner added eight points each off of the bench.
The Wolves will return to Central Wisconsin 8 Conference action Friday, Jan. 9, by hosting Stevens Point Pacelli. Manawa will also head to Iola-Scandinavia Tuesday, Jan. 13, for a CWC-8 matchup with the Thunderbirds. Tipoff for both games is set for 7:30 p.m.