1998-99
GIRL'S BASKETBALL RECAPS
January 5, 1999
Huskies halt yet another streak
North 58 - Hudson 50 .. North Boxscore
By Steve Beaudry
Leader-Telegram staff
HUDSON -- When history is waiting, you ignore the gnawing pain in your right knee, your right calf muscle and your left foot.
When history is waiting, you don't come unglued when your basketball team's game-long lead has been hacked to two points in the fourth quarter's final minute and the enemy crowd is erupting like Mount St. Helen's.
When history is waiting, you forget that three of your fellow starters have fouled out.
"We had to be focused," said North guard Nicki Robinson. "We came in here wanting to prove something to ourselves."
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After North dropped a 58-50 bomb on defending WIAA Division 1 state champion Hudson Tuesday night, consider it proven.
In a physical, frantic, fatiguing display, the Huskies brought a halt to the Raiders' 49-game Big Rivers Conference winning streak, which began in December 1994.
The BRC's all-time record winning streak for girls basketball is 52 games, set by Eau Claire Memorial from 1986-91. The Old Abes' streak, like Hudson's, was snapped by North.
"We almost got it," said Hudson coach Dave Johnson, whose team entered the week ranked No. 2 in The Associated Press' state poll. "Maybe it's a blessing we didn't. Now the monkey's off our back. We can get back to trying to find ourselves as a unit."
"I'd completely forgotten about Hudson's streak, to tell you the truth," said North coach Chico LaBarbera, whose team sits alone in first place in the conference standings. "All we've talked about is taking care of our own business."
For the Huskies (4-0, 8-1), it was Darwinian basketball at its finest. The Raiders (3-1, 6-4) inexplicably missed their first 12 field goals and nine free throws in the second quarter. By halftime, they were in a 29-18 hole.
But, within a 2-minute, 19-second span early in the fourth quarter, three North starters -- forward Larissa Parr (10 points, 14 rebounds), 6-foot-3 center Chandra Johnson and point guard Scooter Aspen -- fouled out.
"They were dropping like flies," Robinson said. "It was scary."
Robinson, though, didn't flinch. Despite being hindered by series of injuries that had shelved her for three games, she scored a team-high 15 points and made a crucial steal with 56 seconds remaining.
Kristi Gehring added 13 points and 10 rebounds for North. Randi Miller scored 18 points and Allison Burchill 17 for Hudson.
EAU CLAIRE NORTH (58)
FG-A FT-A TP: Scooter Aspen 1-6 0-0 3, Rachel Evjen 1-7 0-0 2, Nicki Robinson 5-11 5-6 15, Larissa Parr 4-13 2-3 10, Chandra Johnson 3-6 0-0 6, Beth Hoenisch 0-0 0-0 0, Kristi Gehring 4-7 4-4 13, Erika Reber 0-3 2-2 2, Kricket Whyte 1-2 0-0 2, Lindsey Rongstad 1-3 3-4 5. Totals 20-58 16-19 58.
HUDSON (50)
Melissa Anderson 0-3 0-0 0, Allison Burchill 5-19 5-8 17, Randi Miller 7-17 4-9 18, Annie Nelson 2-4 3-4 7, Katie Garms 1-9 1-6 3, Trina Peters 0-2 0-2 0, Molly Simon 1-5 2-2 5, Jessie Syfko 0-2 0-0 0, Greta Tracey 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-61 15-31 50.
Eau Claire North 14 15 15 14 -- 58
Hudson 12 6 19 13 -- 50
3-point goals: North 2-8 (Gehring 1-2, S.Aspen 1-2, Reber 0-1, Parr 0-1, Evjen 0-2), Hudson 3-22 (Burchill 2-11, Simon 1-4, Anderson 0-2, Peters 0-2, Miller 0-3). Rebounds: North 62 (Parr 14), Hudson 44 (Miller 8). Assists: North 13 (Robinson 3), Hudson 6 (Anderson 2). Steals: North 8 (Robinson 3), Hudson 8 (Burchill 5). Turnovers: North 17, Hudson 10. Fouls: North 26, Hudson 18. Fouled out: North, S.Aspen, Johnson, Parr; Hudson, Anderson.
RECORDS: North 4-0, 8-1; Hudson 3-1, 6-4.