WAO PONY GIRLS BASKETBALL HOLDS ON TO BEAT WIN-E-MAC

The Warren-Alvarado-Oslo Ponies Girl’s Basketball team started the game on an 8-0 run, and even though they didn’t play a great game in their first game in 10 days, they were able to shake off enough rust to keep the lead throughout the game for a 43-33 victory over the Win-E-Mac Patriots in a game played in the Ralph Englestad Arena in Thief River Falls.

FIRST HALF –
Warren-Alvarado-Oslo hadn’t played a game for a week and a half, and they tried to shake the rust off.  The Ponies seemed to do that as they started the game on an 8-0 run.  Kylie Nelson started the game with a basket, Annika Magnusson had a free throw, Hannah Pederson made a three-pointer, and Magnusson added two free throws for the 8-0 lead.  Win-E-Mac scored their first point of the game with 9:56 left in the half when Bret DuChamp made a free throw.  The Ponies responded with five straight points with a Reegan Mortimer basket, another Nelson basket, and a free throw by Ava Oberg for a 13-1 lead with six minutes remaining in the half.  The Ponies led 19-4 late in the half before Win-E-Mac ended the half on a 6-0 run.  Kallie Hand’s four points led the run, and Warren-Alvarado-Oslo led 19-10 going into halftime.

SECOND HALF –
Win-E-Mac scored the first points of the second half when Shelby Mandt made two free throws to get within a 19-12 deficit, the closest the Patriots had been since they trailed 8-1 to start the game.  Warren-Alvarado-Oslo responded with back-to-back baskets from Magnusson and Nelson before a free throw from Annie Peterson for a 24-12 lead over three minutes into the half. Win-E-Mac put together a mini-run and got within a 26-18 deficit before the Ponies answered with a Nelson three-point play and a Hannah Pederson free throw to get the lead back into double-figures for a 30-18 lead halfway through the half.  Warren-Alvarado-Oslo would build a 38-22 lead before Win-E-Mac went on an 8-0 run to get within a 38-30 deficit with under two minutes left in the game.  Markelle Pederson stopped the Patriot run with a free throw, and Mortimer followed with a basket for a 41-30 lead.  The Ponies held on for a 43-33 victory.

The Warren-Alvarado-Oslo Ponies improve to 4-0 on the year and will play at Red Lake County Central on Thursday, December 22.  Win-E-Mac drops to 1-5 on the year and will be at Mahnomen/Waubun on Tuesday, December 20.

FOR COACH CASEY PIERCE’S POSTGAME COMMENTS, CLICK BELOW.