Pirates girls get doubled over

Posted: Feb. 6, 2012

enlarge photo

Mary Catanese

Pewaukee's Brittany Groer, caught between New Berlin Eisenhower's Jenny Weiland, left and Katie Lang, scored 11 points in the home game Feb. 4, 2012.

Mary Catanese

Pewaukee's Brittany Groer, caught between New Berlin Eisenhower's Jenny Weiland, left and Katie Lang, scored 11 points in the home game Feb. 4, 2012.

Close

Shocking. Stunning. Heartbreaking.

Those three words were the only way to describe the disappointing loss the Pewaukee varsity girls basketball team suffered at the hands of longtime rival New Berlin Eisenhower on Saturday. Hosting the undefeated and No. 2-ranked Lions (Division 2 AP state poll), the 13th-ranked Pirates turned in a courageous effort before a large and vocal crowd but suffered a gut-wrenching 75-68 double-overtime Woodland Conference loss.

Pewaukee was victimized by a pair of long 3-pointers by Eisenhower at the end of regulation and at the end of the first overtime after it looked like the Pirates might win the game several times earlier.

The Pirates (13-3, 11-2) led by five points at 51-46 with just 70 seconds to play in the fourth quarter. But the Lions hit two 3-pointers in the final 54 seconds, including one by junior Jenny Weiland with 7.1 seconds remaining that tied the game, forcing overtime.

In the first extra period, Pewaukee again enjoyed a five-point lead (62-57) with 91 seconds to play. But once again, Eisenhower (15-0, 13-0) hot a clutch 3-pointer from UW-Madison recruit Nicole Bauman with 37.3 seconds left on the clock that tied the game at 64, forcing a second overtime.

Nothing went right for the Pirates in the second overtime. Katie Lang gave the Lions the lead 41 seconds into the period, and they never fell behind again.

"It was a great game tonight, that's for sure," said Pewaukee coach Todd Hansen. "I thought we had the game won twice. Give them credit, they made play after play when it counted. I thought we played well. It's unfortunate we came up a little short. We gave a great effort. If they're the No. 2 ranked team in the state, then we proved we can play with anybody."

The loss ended Pewaukee's 11-game winning streak. Since Bauman came on the scene at Eisenhower, the Pirates have dropped 6 of 7 games to the Lions, including the last three games. Pewaukee's lone win in that span was in the 2009-10 season when it won by a 59-52 score - the same year Eisenhower went on to win the Division 2 state title.

Swan, Bauman wage battle

The game not only produced eight lead changes but also featured two outstanding performances by seniors Jordyn Swan of Pewaukee and Bauman, generally regarded as the best player in this part of the state. Both finished the night with 25 points.

Swan, who will play at Division 1 Southern Illinois-Edwardsville next year, got the Pirates off to a great start as she hit her first four shots of the night and scored 10 points in the first period, when PHS led, 18-14. Pewaukee led 9-2 in the first 2:28 of the game.

Swan finished the night by making 8 of 19 shots from the floor and 6 of 7 free throws.

For the Lions, Bauman was just as effective. She made 9 of 16 shots from the floor and 2 of 3 free throws before fouling out of the game with 1:16 left in the second overtime. Bauman also scored 10 points in the first period.

Pewaukee's three other seniors also played well. Natalie Wood scored 14 points followed by Emily Wirth with 13 and Brittany Groer 11. Wirth fouled out with 1:30 to play in the first overtime. She scored seven points for the Pirates in the fourth quarter, helping her team go on a 15-4 run in the final period that turned a six-point deficit into an eventual five-point lead.

Back and forth

After taking an 18-14 lead after the first period, Pewaukee fell behind at halftime, 29-28. Eisenhower had the upper hand in the third quarter as the Pirates made just 2 of 13 shots from the floor. The Lions led 40-34 going into the fourth period.

Eisenhower opened up a 42-36 lead early in the fourth quarter before the Pirates outscored the Lions by a 15-4 margin in a span of 6:19 to take a 51-46 edge. In that run, Swan chipped in with 6 points, Wirth 5 and Wood 4.

Bauman and Weiland then hit their big shots.

In the first OT, Swan scored four consecutive points to give her team a 62-57 lead with 1:31 left on the clock. But the Lions outscored Pewaukee 7-2 in the final 90 seconds to force the second extra session.

The second overtime saw NBE outpoint the Pirates by an 11-4 margin. Pewaukee missed all six of its shots.

After the game, Hansen probably summed it up best.

"They say a cat has nine lives," the Pewaukee coach said. "Isn't a Lion in the cat family?"

Box Score

Eisenhower 75, Pewaukee 68 (2OT)