Nowak scores 25 points in second half

By Greg Seubert

Wins – especially conference wins – don’t come around very often for the Waupaca girls’ basketball team.

That’s why the Comets’ 50-40 North Eastern Conference win over Marinette Dec. 11 is such a big deal to the team and coach Amanda Bronk.

The Comets went winless in their final season in the Eastern Valley Conference in 2014-15 and came into the game with an 0-4 record.

The Marines also came into the game without a win and led by as many as 15 points in the first half, but the Comets ended the half with a 12-2 run and trailed 27-22 at the break.

Marinette opened the second half with a pair of baskets in the first minute to go back up by nine, but scored only nine points the rest of the way.

Waupaca took its first lead of the game with 6:28 remaining on a pair of Victoria Nowak free throws to go up 38-37. Nowak then closed the game out with a basket and 10 more free throws. She scored her team’s final 16 points and finished with a game-high 30, including 25 in the second half.

Waupaca also connected on 20 of 25 free-throw attempts, while the Marines were five of 14.

Taylor Vaughn also finished in double figures for Waupaca with 11 points, while Jordan Miller and Teya Lambie led Marinette with 17 and 12, respectively.