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Calleigh Doeden -
Kate Blankenship
The MCC Rebel Girls Basketball team was back in action on Jan. 2nd after the long holiday break. The Rebels last game came back on December 19th with a win over Southwest Minnesota Christian. The Rebels were looking for their 6th win of the year in a Friday afternoon game against the Tracy Milroy Balaton Panthers. The Panthers were looking for their 4th win of the season but that would have to wait, as the Rebels defense and opportunistic offense led the way to a win.
The first half was dominated by the Rebels who played one of their most complete games of the season. MCC forced the Panthers into 20 turnovers. The Rebels would change the turnovers into points at a much higher percentage than past games. The Rebels were able to get the ball into the paint and score. When they didn’t, they got to the free throw line where they would convert, maybe not with a great percentage but with points. The Panthers had just one player who made more than one basket in the first half and that was Gretchen Lanoue who scored 7 points. Calleigh Doeden had her best offensive game at the varsity level. Doeden scored 11 first half points, creating space inside on the pick and roll or collecting offensive rebounds and converting the putbacks. Kat Miller attacked the paint, scoring 9 points in the half while having to sit down for several minutes due to a pair of early fouls. Ava Deacon scored nine for the Rebels, scoring in transition or at the free throw line. MCC led at the half 38 to 16. The Panthers looked like they were going to make a big run to open the second half, but after a couple of baskets the Rebels answered back. The Panthers outscored the Rebels in the second half but MCC still led by 25 points for much of the second half. Lanoue played a strong game, scoring eight second half points. But with the Rebels paying so much attention to her, openings became available for others. The Rebels were led by the Deacon and Doeden duo in the second half. For much of the half, the Rebels best play was a missed outside shot that would be rebounded by Doeden, who then scored. The senior post player finished with a career high 20 points and 13 rebounds. Ava Deacon scored five second half points. With about seven minutes left in the game, the Rebels led 56 to 35. The Panthers would outscore the Rebels 8 to 2 the rest of the game. The offensive struggle over the final seven minutes made the game appear to be much closer than it actually was. MCC picked up the win 58 to 43.
The Rebels forced 28 turnovers from the Panthers as they turned the ball over 15 times themselves, most of which came in that final seven minutes. The two teams shot about the same percentage from the floor, about 28% for both teams, but the Rebels took 74 shots while the Panthers took just 60. The Rebels also made 11 more free throws than TMB. The Rebels outrebounded the Panthers 40 to 28 in the game. Calleigh Doeden led the Rebels with 20 points and 13 rebounds, 9 of which were offensive. Ava Deacon scored 14 in the game and had 7 steals and 6 rebounds. Kat Miller had a balanced game with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 6 steals. Kate Blankenship had 6 points, 6 rebounds and 6 steals. Gretchen Lanoue was the only Panther in double figures with 15 points. The Rebels will have six games coming up the next week with key Red Rock Conference games against HLOF, Adrian Ellsworth, and MLAC. The Rebels are now 6-3 on the season, just three wins shy of last year’s win total.
