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Jaguars edge Hornets with frontcourt production

By Murray Gleffe
Correspondent


GREEN BAY — Nyia Marohl hit two free throws with 9 seconds remaining to lift the Ashwaubenon girls’ basketball team to a 53-49 Fox River Classic Conference victory Jan. 18 over Green Bay Preble.

Marohl led the Jaguars with 18 points, and Sammy Holford added 10.

Preble was paced by Helena Paplham’s game-high 21 points.

“Nyia is a hard matchup for lots of teams in this conference,” said Nicky VanLaanen, Ashwaubenon head coach. “She has to continue to play big with her height. She finished well around the rim, and when she got doubled, she did a great job of kicking it out for our shooters. Lots of what we do runs through her.”

Ashwaubenon (5-6 overall) took a 12-7 lead after Jamira Olson popped a 3-pointer from the top of the key.

The Hornets (1-4) responded with a 12-0 run behind the shooting of Paplham.

The Jaguars plugged away at the lead and used their dribble-drive down the stretch of the first half to create foul trouble for Preble.

“We had a rhythm going, and then Helena picked up a couple of cheap fouls,” said Jim Doell, Preble head coach. “She had to sit on the bench for a while, and she had a hard time getting back in the flow.”

With 26 seconds remaining in the half, Avery Amenson connected on a back-door layup to give Ashwaubenon a 27-24 lead at the break.

Seven lead changes ensued to start the second half.

Taylor Sleger connected on an elbow jumper to give the Hornets a 38-37 lead with 9:46 remaining.

Preble extended the margin to seven points (44-37) a few minutes later, but the Jaguars showed their resilience down the stretch.

Bri Lambrecht started the comeback with two steals and consecutive baskets.

A couple of minutes later, Holford put home a left-handed layup to give Ashwaubenon the lead, 45-44, with 3:57 left.

“I’m so proud of Sammy,” said VanLaanen. “She’s a senior and a leader on this team. When things are down for us, she’s always clapping and picking the team back up. Nobody works harder.”

Down the stretch, the Hornets committed five turnovers but still had an opportunity after Samantha Wendt went high off the glass to cut the lead to 51-49 with 16 seconds remaining.

After Preble was forced to foul, Lambrecht missed both free throws, but Marohl picked up the offensive rebound, putting her back on the line to close the game out for the Jaguars.

Box score:

Ashwaubenon 27, 26 — 53

Preble: 24, 25 — 49

Jaguars: Marohl 18, Holford 10, Olson 8, Lambrecht 6, Rothe 4, Hutto 4, Amenson 3.

Hornets: Paplham 21, Sleger 12, Bialkowski 9, Andrea Butterbrodt 4, Wendt 3.

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