Bessette nears 1,000-point mark
By Greg Seubert
A 31-point second half added up to the first win of the season for the Manawa girls’ basketball team.
The Wolves outscored Iola-Scandinavia 31-25 in the second half Nov. 27 and handed the Thunderbirds a 50-40 loss.
Neither team led by more than four points in the first half and the Wolves took a 19-15 lead into the locker room at the half.
Manawa built a 31-21 lead early in the second half, but the T-Birds responded with an 8-0 run. Bryanna Kisting’s three-pointer cut the Wolves’ lead to 31-29 with 11:45 remaining in the game, but I-S never got any closer the rest of the way.
Another three-pointer from Kisting made it 35-32, but Laynie Bessette gave Manawa a 10-point lead in the final minutes with a three-point play.
Kisting led all scorers with 19 points, while Bessette, who is closing on 1,000 career points, led Manawa with 18.
Emilie Briquelet scored the T-Birds last eight points and was the only other play to finish in double figures with 12 points.
She also led the T-Birds in rebounds with 10, while Kaitlyn Miller led Manawa with eight.