Breaking a 10 game losing streak, Lone Tree tops Wapello, 46-42

By Douglas Miles
Posted 1/11/23

Ryan Shelman called it, “our best overall game.”

Just one contest into the post-winter break portion of the girls’ basketball schedule, the Lone Tree coach has already directed …

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Breaking a 10 game losing streak, Lone Tree tops Wapello, 46-42

Posted

Ryan Shelman called it, “our best overall game.”

Just one contest into the post-winter break portion of the girls’ basketball schedule, the Lone Tree coach has already directed a group that has equaled its win total from last season.

The continued maturation of a couple of freshmen difference-makers sure has helped.

“I thought our girls really played together today,” Shelman said after the Lady Lions held off Wapello, 46-42, in a Southeast Iowa Super Conference tilt Tuesday night at Wapello High School. “I thought they did a good job of sharing the basketball, moving the ball around, getting the ball against their defense where it needed to go. Some players really stepped up today.”

For Lone Tree (7-6, 3-4 SEISC), the win snapped a string of 10 losses in a row to the Arrows, which dated back to 2017. Freshman Finley Jacque continued her breakout freshman season with a season-high 22 points, which included four 3-point baskets in five attempts.

“At the beginning of the season, I didn’t really know my role as a freshman or where I would fit,” Jacque said. “But as my team has been supporting me, and coach, I feel more comfortable.”

After totaling just 10 points through the first three games of the season, Jacque reached double figures in seven of her next eight contests, including three in which she scored at least 20 points.

“She is really starting to come on,” Shelman said. “She is starting to kind of figure out how to play the flow of the offense that we want. She is starting to step up. It is just like any other freshman, you just have to learn how to play at this varsity level.”

The Wapello performance bumped Jacque’s scoring average up to a team-high 11.7 points per game. Fellow freshman Alyson Ford also established a personal season-high with 10 points.

“As a young team, we’re gaining a lot of confidence,” Ford said. “We’re becoming better as the season goes on.”

Sophomore Rylee Shield chipped in seven points and grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds, which were instrumental as the Lady Lions withstood a late charge from Wapello (5-6, 5-4) that trimmed an 11-point Lone Tree lead after three quarters down to two at 42-40 with less than a minute to go.

“We just had to tighten up our defense,” Forde said.

“Defensively, I really liked our intensity,” Shelman added. “I thought our defensive intensity was honestly the difference in the game.”

Jacque assisted on a Ford basket to give Lone Tree a 44-40 lead with 35 seconds left. Sophomore Vivian Zaruba capped the victory with the last of her nine rebounds, plus a pair of free throws.

“I think we finally know our role now,” Jacque said. “Know that we are more aggressive. Know that we are a good team out there. Know that we can compete.”

Lone Tree ended the week with a 70-29 loss to Class 1A No. 11 Winfield-Mount Union, which is unbeaten through a dozen games.

This week, the Lady Lions host Columbus Junction and visit Highland Community.