1998-99 GIRL'S BASKETBALL RECAPS

November 27, 1998 

North 68, Hartland Arrowhead 65 OT  .. North Boxscore

Aspen, Huskies explode 

By Mark Andrew Trapani 

Leader-Telegram staff 

The Eau Claire North girl's basketball team played like it was a hand grenade Friday evening. 

The Huskies didn't do exactly what they wanted, but they were close enough to be effective. 

And good enough for thrilling 65-58 overtime victory over Hartland Arrowhead in a first-round matchup of the Eau Claire Thanksgiving Showcase held at UW-Eau Claire's Zorn Arena. 

The Huskies are scheduled to kickoff the second day of the Showcase at 5 p.m. today when they face Milwaukee Divine Savior Holy Angels.

Kristi Gehring

North held a slim lead for most of the contest, although there were eight ties and six lead changes, including three of each in the overtime period. 

The Huskies (2-0) were paced by senior forward Kristi Gehring, who finished with a game-high 20 points, and junior guard Scooter Aspen, who scored 17 points and dished out five assists. 

Tricia Gill scored 18 points and Sarah Gantner added 11 to lead Arrowhead. 

North led 14-7 after one quarter and 28-27 at halftime. The Huskies extended their advantage to a game-high 11 when they went up 46-35 on a 12-foot jumper by Gehring 2 minutes, 44 seconds into the fourth quarter. But the Warhawks (0-2) came clawing back, finishing the quarter with an 18-6 flurry to send the game to overtime. 

"We knew they were going to be really tough," Gehring said of the Warhawks. "We expected it to be close, so we just went and played our hearts out." 

Scooter Aspen

In overtime, Aspen took over, scoring seven of the Huskies' 12 points. Including a 3-pointer from the top of the key that put North up for good 58-55. 

"I don't know where you start," North coach Chico LaBarbera said. "Scooter hit that big three, Kristi Gehring's shooting obviously kept us in the game, but we got contributions from so many people." 

"There were spurts of this and spurts of that. I am really proud of these kids." 

On the defensive end, the Huskies didn't always look pretty. But, throwing themselves around while reaching and banging for better rebounding position, they got the job done. 

"We've been working really hard this year on defense," LaBarbera said, "and tonight we really hustled. These kids have always hustled. But our fundamental defense was better. I'm not saying it was perfect, but it was better." 

The Huskies pressed, scrapped, bumped and battered the Warhawks (who lost their first game of the season in overtime as well) into 25 turnovers and held them to just 26 percent (16 of 61) shooting. 

North's interior defense closed like a vice on Gill, allowing her to convert just 3 of 14 shots. The 6-foot junior looked like a pinball the way she bounced off Huskies defenders, often times ending up on the floor. 

The aggressive play took it's toll on Gill who managed to make just 12 of her 21 free throw attempts. But it effected the Huskies as well. 

North's 6-3 senior center Chandra Johnson, who made things difficult for the Warhawks when she was in the game, fouled out midway through the fourth quarter after playing just 17 minutes. 

Sophomore Larissa Parr, a 5-11 post player also fouled out. 

Forced to go without their biggest players, the Huskies sent in the ground forces -- as in close to the ground. 

North's two smallest players, Scooter Aspen, a 5-3 guard and Rachel Evjen, a 5-4 senior guard played like giants, responding with several key baskets down the stretch and a combined eight steals. 

The biggest heist came with just eight seconds remaining in regulation. 

With the score tied 53-53, Evjen raced from her post at the top of the Huskies' zone and cleanly stripped Gill of the ball on the right baseline. 

The Huskies weren't able to get a shot off before the buzzer sounded, but they had denied the Warhawks a chance to win the game either from the floor or from the free throw line. 

And that drew praise from LaBarbera. 

"I was thinking, 'don't foul,' the North coach said of Evjen's theft. "Then she comes up with the steal and I'm saying 'good job.' You really don't teach that. You can't coach that." 

FG-A FT-A TP: Rachel Mateos 2-6 2-2 6, Sarah Gantner 4-13 2-3 11, Brook Crozier 1-9 5-7 7, Stefanie Wenzel 2-8 0-0 5, Christine Mauch 0-0 0-0 0, Kris Unterweger 0-0 0-0 0, Erin Baugstad 4-9 1-1 9, Lindsay Warshauer 0-0 2-2 2, Bryanna Siefert 0-1 0-0 0, Ashley Spakowtiz 0-0 0-0 0, Tricia Gill 3-14 12-21 18, Lindsay Debakker 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-61 24-36 58. 

EAU CLAIRE NORTH (65) 

Beth Hoesnich 2-2 2-3 6, Scooter Aspen 3-7 9-12 17, Rachel Evjen 2-8 3-6 7, Erika Reber 0-11 2-5 2, Courtney Fering 0-6 0-0 0, Nicki Robinson 0-0 0-0 0, Larissa Parr 2-6 1-2 5, Bridget Aspen 0-3 2-2 2, Kristi Gehring 8-16 0-0 20, Chandra Johnson 2-5 2-2 6. Totals 20-62 21-32 65. 

Halftime: North 28, Hartland Arrowhead 27. 3-point goals: North 4-12 (S. Aspen 2-3, Evjen 0-1, Reber 0-1, Fering 0-3, Gehring 2-4); Hartland Arrowhead 2-11 (Mateos 0-1, Gantner 1-4, Crozier 0-2, Wenzel 1-4). Rebounds: North 46 (Johnson 6), Hartland Arrowhead 54 (Gill, Gantner Unterweger all with 7). Fouls: North 28, Hartland Arrowhead 25. Fouled out: North, Parr, Johnson; Arrowhead, Gantner. Turnovers: North 21, Hartland Arrowhead 25. 

Records: North 2-0, Hartland Arrowhead 0-2.