Lyle-Pacelli girls basketball team knocks off FBA
Published 9:59 pm Thursday, February 26, 2015
Lyle-Pacelli’s Courntey Walter dribbles past Faribault Bethlehem Academy’s Hannah Robb in Pacelli Gym Thursday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
The No. 2 seeded Athletics weren’t able to get out and run like they tend to do, but their half court game was good enough to beat No. 7 seeded Faribault Bethlehem Academy (7-21 overall) in a Section 1A West quarterfinal game in Pacelli Gym Thursday.
Lyle-Pacelli’s Madison Truckenmiller defends Faribault Bethlehem Academy’s Amber Merritt in Pacelli Gym Thursday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Lyle-Pacelli (22-3 overall) had its lead cut to 45-37 with 11:33 left in the game, but LP responded with an 8-0 run that was capped by a pair of Courtney Walter 3-pointers. From that point, LP was able to run out the clock and hold off FBA.
Courtney, who had 16 points, hit both of the 3s off of dribble penetration from her younger sister freshman Brooke Walter, who had 13 points and eight assists in the win.
“If someone’s hitting their shots, especially in a close game, you’ve got to find who’s hot and you’ve got to keep hitting them. You’ve got to keep the team rolling,” Brooke said. “I think every team is going to be ready to play because if you lose you go home. Every game will keep getting better and everyone will play hard. No one wants to go home.”
The Athletics forced 16 turnovers in the win, but they also committed 16 turnovers. Their break-away lay-ups were few and far between but they were able to produce points with ball movement.
“We’ve been getting a lot of good shots for everybody and that has helped a lot,” Courtney said.
LP head coach Justin Morris would like to see his team rebound better and take care of the ball better. He wants his team to understand the value of having the ball in the postseason.
“We’ve got to understand in postseason play that every possession is extremely important,” Morris said. “Every possession, you’ve got to treat like it’s the last possession of the game. The pace I thought was OK and our energy and effort was good. We’ve just got to turn up the focus and the execution a bit.”
Lyle-Pacelli’s Sarah Holtz goes up for a lay-up in Pacelli Gym Thursday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
LP will play No. 3 Southland in a Section 1A West semifinal game in Mayo Civic Auditorium in Rochester 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Southland beat LP 62-52 Jan. 24.
“We’re excited about the opportunity,” Morris said. “We feel like we’re a little more battle tested and a little more prepared than we were last year. We have to play defense, box out and value possessions. That will give us our best opportunity to win.”
FBA 25 16 — 41
LP 33 30 — 63
LP scoring: Courtney Walter, 16; Sarah Holtz, 16; Brooke Walter, 13; Bethany Strouf, 7; Madison Truckenmiller, 5; Kendal Truckenmiller, 4; Caitlyn Roberts, 2; free throws: 43 percent (10-for-23); rebounds: 35 (Strouf, 10); turnovers: 16
