Roster full, but KM still looking for consistency

Posted: Jan. 9, 2013

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Dave Haberkorn

Chloe Tompkins of Kettle Moraine makes a move to the basket after getting inside Muskego’s Chelsey Witkowiak in the third quarter of the visiting Lasers’ 50-36 loss to the Warriors Friday, January 4, 2013.

Dave Haberkorn

Chloe Tompkins of Kettle Moraine makes a move to the basket after getting inside Muskego’s Chelsey Witkowiak in the third quarter of the visiting Lasers’ 50-36 loss to the Warriors Friday, January 4, 2013.

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Finally, the Kettle Moraine girls basketball team has a full deck at its disposal - but how those cards are played might take some time to evaluate.

Olivia Weber returned from an ankle injury, and the Lasers found themselves at full strength against Muskego on Friday, but Muskego gradually built a lead and sent visiting KM home with a 50-36 loss in Classic 8 Conference play.

"They played incredibly hard, but it's a long game," KM coach Janine Emmer said. "When we have those ebbs and flows, whether on the offensive or defensive end, we're down a lot more instead of being in those peaks. We do really well for short periods of time, but we have to figure out a way to lengthen that."

Linley Achtenhagen opened the game with two quick baskets to give the Lasers a 5-0 lead, but KM scored 4 points in the next 12-plus minutes and fell behind by halftime, 17-13. The Warriors built their lead to 9 points by the end of the third quarter and capped an 8-0 run to take a 36-21 lead early in the fourth. Muskego senior guard Jessica Cattani closed the game with 7 of her game-high 15 points, and KM (4-6, 1-5 in Classic 8) was unable to keep Muskego 6-3 post Renee Bennett away from the rim, as she finished with 12 points.

"We have players that play well on defense but struggled on the offensive end, and then we have some who can score and put up points, but their weaknesses are exploited on the defensive end," Emmer said. "It's hard to find that balance.

"It's good to have all the players back - this is the first game where we've had everybody eligible. Then again, it's game No. 10 and we're finally at that point. It does feel like it's our first game, trying to get all those lineups and matchups correct."

Weber played off and on, finishing with one basket. Emma Melotik had 13 points to lead the Lasers.

Whitefish Bay 39, KM 27

Emmer's synopsis of her team's showing on Jan. 8 was to the point.

The Lasers struggled through a 39-27 nonconference defeat at Whitefish Bay.

"I thought we came out scared and didn't have any intensity to start the game," Emmer said. "We have to come out playing aggressive every night and we did not."

Junior Chloe Tompkins led the Lasers with 9 points. Achtenhagen scored 8 points. Junior Jordan Fink, senior Rachel Reiter and senior Olivia Weber also scored for Kettle Moraine (4-7).

It was the fourth consecutive defeat for Kettle Moraine.

"Whitefish Bay wanted it more. That's the bottom line," Emmer added.

On Jan. 11, the Lasers are back in the Classic 8 Conference with a home game against Catholic Memorial on Kettle Moraine Girls Basketball Club Night.