Girl’s Basketball: Chargers struggle, get past Mount Pleasant

by Jason Wolverton

They say it’s hard to beat a team three times in one season.

In the semifinal round of districts against Mount Pleasant, Midland Dow learned just how true that is.

The Chargers struggled mightily in one of their toughest games of the season Wednesday, committing 23 turnovers and getting only 12 points combined from its two leading scorers as they managed to escape with a 35-31 win over the Oilers at Bay City Western High School.

Dow had difficulties shooting from the perimeter, couldn’t consistently get the ball into the post, and was outscored 13-4 in the third quarter as Mount Pleasant took a one-point lead into the fourth. Still, the Chargers managed to buckle down when it mattered the most and used some clutch free throws to secure a spot in the district finals Friday against Midland High.

“I’m so proud of the girls for keeping their composure,” said Dow coach Bob Wellman. “This is almost what happened last year when Mount Pleasant came and got us after we beat them twice. We knew this was going to be a tough game, and I can’t be happier with how we came out and we ended it in strong fashion.”

Ultimately, the difference in the game came at the line for both teams as Dow shot 15-for-19 from the charity stripe while Mount Pleasant was 3-for-10. Leah Kebler was 10-for-10 from the line on her way to a game-high 16 points.

“I thought we shot the ball well from the line,” Wellman said. “That’s a big part of playing tournament basketball – making free throws. Leah did it.”

Kebler did much of it in the first quarter as she hit all six of her free throws to give Dow the early 12-8 advantage. But it was clear from the start that the Chargers weren’t clicking offensively. After scoring in the post to open the scoring for Dow, leading-scorer Becca Mills was hounded down low and the Chargers committed a slew of turnovers trying to get the ball into the paint. Mills wouldn’t score again down low until there was less than two minutes left in the game.

The second quarter was much the same for both squads as turnovers continued to be the story. That is, until Dow junior Jessica Schroll unexpectedly checked in midway through the quarter to a rousing ovation from the Chargers’ crowd.

Schroll, who is verbally committed to play at Iowa State, was thought to be lost for the season after having knee surgery in August. But earlier in the week, Schroll was cleared by her doctors to resume playing. Wellman said he talked to her, her parents, the team trainer, and the rest of the team while struggling with the decision whether to play her. She finished with one point.

“…I just thought she could come in and spark us,” he said. “And I think she did spark us, not really in an offensive way, but just by getting back after the work she put in.”

Dow led 20-12 at the break and though the score was far from what Dow is used to, Wellman said he was pleased with the first half.

“We obviously made some poor decisions early, but we took an eight-point lead into the half and that’s big against Mount Pleasant,” he said. “I don’t care if they’re down or what. That game against Mount Pleasant is tough.”

Even tougher, though, was a third quarter Wellman called one of his team’s worst of the year. They continued to turn the ball over, missed a few open looks, and couldn’t stop Mount Pleasant from mounting a comeback. With 38 seconds left in the quarter, Mount Pleasant cut the lead to one and then went ahead as time expired on a put back off an offensive rebound.

The Oilers extended their lead on another put back to begin the fourth before Kebler took back over. She scored down low to make it 27-26 and then hit a pair of free throws to give Dow the lead. She would later grab an offensive rebound off a missed free throw and get fouled herself, making both free throws to widen the lead to 30-27.

Mount Pleasant would tie the game with a field goal and a free throw a few minutes later, but Dow would take back the lead for good thanks to a Mallory Groszek free throw. With 1:52, Mills put back an offensive rebound off a Taylor Mantyla 3-point attempt to give the Chargers a three-point lead. Groszek and Schroll would each hit a free throw in the final 30 seconds to round out the scoring.

Mills finished with eight points and nine rebounds, while Mantyla had four points, six rebounds, and three assists. Kebler added three steals.

The Chargers now get a day off before heading back to Bay City Western to take on the cross-town rival Chemics. And though the Chargers have already beaten Midland twice this year, Wellman was adamant that his team needed to bring their best to get the win.

“I told the girls we can enjoy the game, but this wasn’t a district title game,” he said. “This was a semifinal game and they know that we have to come play our best against Midland.”

Game time for the championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m.

To view more photos from Wednesday’s game, click on “Photo slideshow” in the top right corner of this article.

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Photos by Jason Wolverton