Slow start for Heat
They say pride comes before the fall, and two-straight District 14-C championships have earned the Hot Springs girls plenty of it in recent years. However, four losses by fewer than ten points have left the defending champions with a 1-7 record.
“The little things are starting to add up,” Hot Springs head coach Scott Wigton said. “I don’t think we’re 1-7. A couple of those games could have gone either way and I don’t think our record justifies what type of team we have.”
Last week, the Savage Heat dropped two road games, fist, on Thursday, 28-42 to Arlee and later, 37-30, against Alberton on Saturday.
On Thursday, the Savage Heat entered the fourth quarter trailing by only six points, but the Scarlets took advantage of some stalwart fourth quarter defense to hold Hot Springs to four points and come away with the District 14-C win.
“I think we’ve played about as good as we have coming out of a Christmas holiday since I’ve been here,” Wigton said. “I have never been so happy with a loss in my life with their effort and their want.”
Senior post Meghan Massingale led Hot Springs with 10 points while Lindsey Salmi and Alyssa Foster chipped in seven apiece.
For the Scarlets, Mahalla Hendren scored 19, while sinking a red-hot seven of her 11 free throw attempts.
On Saturday, despite heading into halftime down only two, the Savage Heat were stymied by Alberton’s 13-8 run in the third quarter and could never quite recover in the fourth.
Junior forward Hannah Retalick posted eight points as did Foster in the Class C nondistrict loss.
For the 3-5 Panthers, Andi Clark scored 17 points to lead the Panthers to the Class C nondistrict victory. Dani Hanley also scored in double figures with 10 points and Jenna Rausch grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds.
Among the mistakes that have plagued his team, Wigton mentioned free throw shooting, rebouinding and unforced turnovers as the main culprits for his teams uncharacteristically slow start. Hot Springs is addressing each issue at practice.
The Savage Heat shot below 30 percent as a team from the charity stripe through their first six games, but after Wigton speculated that his players were spending too much time at the line, he had them adjust their pre-shot routines. This weekend, that mark improved to 55 percent and Wigton believes that trend will continue in up coming games.
As far as rebounding is concerned, Wigton said, “We’re not a team that’s going to be able to out jump people, we need to out physical them, and I’m trying to change that mindset a little so we can be physical underneath the basket to stay in those [close] contests and keep teams from getting second and third opportunities.”
Wigton would also like to see his players be more deliberate with the basketball, and value each possession rather than forcing up quick, low-percentage shots.
This week, the Savage Heat will face Noxon at home on Friday as schedule, but since Two Eagle River does not have a girl’s team, they will instead face Victor on Thursday in Pablo.