Thunderbirds win 14th straight game
WINTHROP — Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop will be heading into playoffs with a head full of steam after picking up its 14th win in a row.
GFW defeated Sibley East 62-38 in a nonconference girls’ basketball game Tuesday night after a big second-half performance.
Hannah Wentzlaff led the Wolverines with 16 points and she scored her 1,000th career point in the game. Teammate Morgan Stearns added nine.
Halley Busse led the Thunderbirds (19-7) with 29 points, while Emily Heimkes added 10 and Maddy Elder chipped in nine.
With two of GFW’s finest players and biggest leaders on the court graduating this year — Busse and Emma Jo Elder — every game they play from here out could be their last in their high school careers. GFW coach Ryan Jacobson is aware of this, but he feels his seniors will respond accordingly.
“I know they’re both very hungry,” Jacobson said. “They’re just excited for the opportunity… I think the approach will be the same. Every game they’re dialed in, they’re focused on what the task is at hand. Now it’s just that sense of urgency that you’ve got to come out on top or you’re going to home. They know that and they’re playing with that little sense of urgency.”
Busse scored the first nine points of the game for the Thunderbirds, giving them the early 9-2 lead. The Wolverines battled back though and scored eight straight points to lead 10-9.
GFW trailed 21-16 before a run put them ahead 24-21 on a 3-pointer by Heimkes on a pass across the arc from Busse. GFW led 34-26 at the half.
The second half saw the Thunderbirds play better defense and come out strong with a 20-1 run after a bucket inside by Maddy Elder. The Wolverines were finally able to knock down their first bucket of the second half and stop the GFW run courtesy of Stearns.
GFW continued to increase its lead on the way to the victory.
Jacobson said that he wasn’t pleased with his girls initial defensive effort, but was glad to see major improvements on defense out of the half and said that it was a focal point in the win.
GFW awaits its Section 2AA opponent and that will be determined at a later date.
COMMENTS