By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
AUBURNDALE – Sometimes statistics can lie, but when it comes to the performance of the Auburndale girls basketball team, they are spot on.
How well the Apaches play on the defensive end is a true barometer of whether they win or lose, and heading into Thursday’s WIAA Division 3 sectional semifinal against Gillett (22-3), Auburndale knows its defense is the key to how much farther it advances in the postseason.
The Apaches have won 15 of their last 17 games and boast a 19-6 record heading into the matchup Thursday at Antigo High School. Auburndale has given up 40 or more points six times this season – in each of its losses. When the Apaches give up less than 40 points, they are 19-0. That pretty much says it all.
“We’re really focusing on defense this year – it’s one of my favorite things to do,” said junior Lindsay Gotz, who averages a little more than 5 points a game. “When we’re struggling on offense it’s nice to fall back and work hard on defense.”
Saturday’s regional final against Amherst was a perfect example.
Auburndale shot just 11 of 31 from the field and made only 9 of 23 free-throw attempts, but held Amherst to 18.2 percent shooting (8 of 44) and 0-for-7 from 3-point range and won 34-22.
The victory was the 13th time this season the Apaches have held an opponent under 30 points in a game.
“Maybe the hype of the game got to them a little bit, but I’ve stressed that when our offense isn’t on in one game, our defense is going to bail us out,” Auburndale coach Corey Manlick said. “That was the main factor Saturday. Our defense was stellar. If we do our job on defense, I don’t see us having any flaws in our game. I’m putting the pressure on the girls to play defense they way we have the last 17 games.”
In order for Auburndale to win Thursday and reach the sectional final on Saturday at De Pere against the winner of Brillion and Oshkosh Lourdes, the Apaches will have to continue to force their will on their opponent.
Gillett, co-champion of the Marinette & Oconto Conference, has a similar makeup in that it has only allowed 40 or more points five times this season, but Manlick said he is more concerned with what his team does on the floor.
“I told the girls today, I told them Monday, I told them all last week, we can prepare as much as we want for them, but basically it’s going to come down to who can make the most plays, make the big plays and who can execute their offense and defense,” Manlick said.
Since a four-game losing streak in late December and early January, the Apaches have found their groove under Manlick, who is in his first year as head coach.
Auburndale responded by winning nine out of 10 games, including a pair of victories against teams that had beaten them earlier in the season – Edgar and Wisconsin Rapids Assumption – and have been on a roll since.
“Our intensity level has been a lot higher and we started to play together as a team more,” junior Kayla Nikolay said. “We got used to each other and playing together. We worked really hard.”
WIAA Division 3 De Pere Secitonal
Thursday’s semifinals
Auburndale (19-6) vs. Gillett (22-3) at Antigo, 7 p.m.
Brillion (24-1) vs. Oshkosh Lourdes (22-3) at Kimberly, 7 p.m.
Saturday’s championship
At De Pere, 7 p.m.
Paul Lecker can be reached by e-mail at paul@marshfieldareasports.com.
