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Tigers’ balance helps eliminate Jaguars in 2A clash

MID-AIR REJECTION — Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther’s Katelyn Diegnau blocks a shot by Springfield’s Courtney Wendt (11) during Section 2A, South Sub-Section quarterfinal basketball action Wednesday night in Granada. The Jaguars’ Brooke Grathwohl (second from right) and Eden Studer watch the play. (Photo by Greg Abel)

GRANADA — The No. 5-seeded Springfield Tigers’ balanced scoring attack and 10 steals on defense helped down the No. 4-seeded Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther Jaguars, 52-38, in Section 2A, South Sub-Section quarterfinal basketball action Wednesday night in Granada.

Courtney Wendt and Brooklyn Sturm scored 14 points each for the Tigers.

Springfield (10-7) advances to face No. 1-seeded Waterville-Elysian-Morristown at 7 p.m. Friday in a South Sub-Section semifinal in Waterville.

The Jaguars finished the season with a 10-7 record.

The Tigers started the game on a 6-0 run by forcing the Jaguars’ offense into steals. Katelyn Diegnau got the Jaguars on the board by making a mid-range jumper to narrow the score to 6-2. Diegnau then found Brooke Grathwohl open for a layup to make the score 6-4.

Jaeli Richert’s 3-pointer triggered the Tigers’ ensuing 7-0 run. Wendt began her scoring with two layups in a row to extend the Tigers’ lead to 13-4.

The Jaguars ended the run by Mallery Geistfeld going 1-of-2 from the free throw line and then Jenna Balcom assisted Michaelah Petrowiak for a layup to cut the score to 13-7.

The Tigers ended the first half on a 12-5 run to take a 25-13 lead. Wendt and Sturm combined for seven of the 12 Tigers points in which Sturm got on the scoreboard. Sturm hit a floater and then buried a 3-pointer right before the end of the first half.

Early in the second half, the Jaguars rallied behind Diegnau. Kianna Preston found Diegnau open for a layup to start a 10-1 run. During that run, Diegnau dished out two assists, one to Eden Studer for a mid-range jumper, one to Geistfeld for a 3-pointer, then added a layup to cut the Tigers lead to 28-25. Defensively during the run, the Jaguars swarmed the Tigers including a blocked shot from Diegnau.

“We started to get on the run and the shots started to fall at that point,” Jaguar head coach TJ Pytleski said. “They picked up the defensive intensity a little bit, crashed the boards, we were able to get some fast-break points and hit some threes.”

Wendt ended the run for the Tigers securing a rebound and then dishing an assist to Sturm, who nailed the 3-pointer to give the Tigers a 31-25 lead. That 3-pointer started a 10-2 run led by Wendt’s and Sturm’s playmaking abilities.

Sturm dished out two assists including one to Wendt for a 3-pointer. Wendt blocked a shot, crashed for three rebounds and dished an assist to Cylee Graff.

Wendt finished the game with 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Sturm finished with 14 points, six rebounds and three assists.

The Tigers ended the game on a 10-0 run to finish the Jaguars’ season.

“I thought they hustled well and shots were just not falling tonight and that was the bottom line,” Pytleski said. “We did a good job of having teamwork, playing together as a team, but shots just didn’t fall.

“We ended with a winning season and it’s always frustrating because you never want to lose the last game of the season,” Pytleski continued. “I’m overall happy with this season.”

Springfield 25-27–52

GHECTML 13-25–38

Springfield (52)

McCone 2-2 0-0 4. Graff 1-2 0-0 2, Richert 1-1 0-0 3, Wendt 6-11 1-2 14, Digmannn 5-9 0-0 12, Sturm 5-17 2-3 14, Ploeger 1-2 1-2 3, Hauger 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 21-44 6-11 52.

GHEC/T/ML (38)

Stauter 0-6 1-2 1, Bentz 0-1 0-0 0, Bentz 1-1 0-0 3, Balcom 1-1 0-0 3, Benck 1-5 0-0 3, Diegnau 3-13 2-3 8, Geistfeld 1-7 3-4 6, Grathwohl 1-5 0-0 2, Mattson 1-1 0-0 2, Petrowiak 1-7 2-2 4, Studer 4-6 0-0, 9. Totals 13-52 6-11 38.

3-pointers: Springfield 6-14 (Digmann and Sturm 3); GHEC/Truman/Martin Luther 4-12 (Balcom, Geistfeld, Studer and Benck 1 each). Fouled out: None. Rebounds: Springfield 26; (Wendt 7) GHEC/T/ML 25 (Diegnau 9). Assists: Springfield 15 (Sturm and Wendt 3); GHEC/T/ML 9 (Diegnau 3). Steals: Springfield 10 (Digmann 3); GHEC/T/ML 14 (Geistfeld and Diegnau 3).

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