Two NSL basketball title contenders are matched up Thursday
After a perfect first week in the prep hoop season, the Viking basketball team has an early season test against the Mio Thunderbolts tonight and at Cedarville Tuesday. Posen improved to 2-0 on the season and 1-0 in North Star League with victories over De Tour in the season opener August 26 and against Fairview, 38-28, in the conference opener last Thursday. The first scheduled home game earlier this week against Hale was canceled a week ago after an outbreak of viral meningitis in the Hale school district. That game has been rescheduled for September 23.
Coach Tom Schellie was a little concerned with his team having a week off going into the Mio game, but he believes if the girls keep the contest close through three quarters, they could surprise the T-Bolts in the final quarter.
?WE NEED to do the little things,? said Schellie. Posen will have to contend with a couple of players from Mio with some size. Cedarville traditionally has had strong programs in girls? and boys? basketball, and this season is not expected to be an exception. Schellie says the Vikes won?t be taking either school for granted.
There were signs of improvement from game one to game two, Schellie said, but if Posen wants to keep its undefeated records intact against Mio, the players will have to improve on their free throws.
?We have to make our free throws to be competitive,? said Schellie. ?We could have blown open the game.? Against Fairview, the Vikings shot 12-for-26 from the charity stripe and were out rebounded until the final quarter. The extra effort in the fourth helped the Vike
Posen took a 10-6 lead into the second quarter, but the missed free throws before the half gave Fairview a chance to trim the Vikings? lead to one, 14-13, by halftime.
MARY CALHOUN and Shannon Ciarkowski led the Vike offense with 10 each, while Michelle Bednarski had eight points. The leading scorer for the Eagles was Jade Szubelak with 13. Katie Lewandowski had six steals and played outstanding defense, Schellie said.
The Posen junior varsity (2-0, 1-0) started off the second doubleheader sweep of the season with a dominating performance against Fairview, 48-17. Jenny Ciarkowski led all scorers with 11, followed by Roxann Hincka with 10. Amanda Pieczynski and Brittany Styma both had seven each.