Port Washington’s new defense ignites its offense

Pirates avenge earlier loss to Nicolet behind Zirbes’ shooting and Norah Merow’s play on both sides of the court

PORT WASHINGTON’S PAIGE SCHEUNEMANN (above) went up for a shot against Nicolet at home last Friday. Right, Norah Merow reached over the defense for a bucket inside. Photos by Mitch Maersch
By 
MITCH MAERSCH
Ozaukee Press staff

A strong final two minutes of the first half and a commanding second session of 18 minutes gave the Port Washington High School girls’ basketball team a 62-50 home win over North Shore Conference foe Nicolet last Friday.

Guard Maggie Zirbes went 4-for-8 on three-pointers for a team-high 22 points. She shot 9-for-15 from the field, grabbed five rebounds and made four steals.

“It’s just like once the team gets going I feel like everyone just starts to go. It feels good,” Zirbes said.

Port was without their 6 feet, 2-inch forward Lillian Merow, who was out sick, but her younger sister Norah, who is about as tall, stepped up to score 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting from the field and 5-for-7 on free throws. She grabbed eight rebounds, made three blocks and altered several more shots as the Knights struggled inside.

“Norah stepped up big. That’s the most she’s played in her two seasons with us. She’s ready to go. It just gives us an added piece. Big game from her tonight,” coach Jakob Wahl said.

Port employed a new defense, a 1-3-1 zone, that helped lead to 13 steals and caused even more turnovers, sparking the Pirates’ offense.

“That’s what we worked on a bunch, hopefully to vary things up and slow down teams as we go through the second portion of conference play. It paid off big for us as we went on our run there,” Wahl said.

“All we had to do is come out strong and pressure them. We had to take the action, take the lead, and it led to fast breaks on offense and easy points.,” point guard Sierra Miller said

Port took a 20-19 lead on a Zirbes three-pointer with less than two-and-a-half minutes to play in the first half, and the Pirates never let it go.

That started a 14-3 run that ended the half. Port led, 31-22, at the break and started the second half on a 12-6 run that made the score 43-28.

The Knights never got closer than 10 the rest of the way. Port’s defense kept Nicolet off its game.

“It just really helps slow the pace of the game down so we’re not always defending people on the dribble drives and chasing out for threes. It keeps their players more contained,” Wahl said of the 1-3-1 zone.

“I think the 1-3 was really good. We just sat gap. We’re just watching their eyes,” Merow said.

The game avenged a 47-42 loss at Nicolet on Dec. 8.

“Playing Nicolet last time and losing, there was a fire behind it,” Paige Scheunemann, whose nine points included a buzzer-beater in the lane at the end of the first half, said. “Trying new defenses that were working, it really helped us move and stick together. I think it just went really well for us with everyone putting in their all-effort for defense.”

Guard Abbey Grisar had seven points and five rebounds.

Last Saturday, Port lost at Whitefish Bay, 60-43. They were up, 25-24, at halftime.

Hope Gilhooly had 12 points and five assists. Zirbes had 11 points, going 3-for-7 on three-pointers. Grisar had eight points. Miller had six assists.

“They hit some threes to start the half,” Wahl said. “We couldn’t get in a  thythm on offense in the second half.”

Port, 2-9 in the NSC and 7-10 overall, was to play at West Bend West on Tuesday, Jan. 30, host Hartford on Thursday, Feb. 1, and play at Homestead on Tuesday, Feb. 6.

Grafton girls lose two of three

Grafton lost a late lead after holding a 30-20 halftime edge at Slinger on Jan. 23, then took the lead back and hung on for a 59-55 win. Sarah Aleknavicius had 16 points and seven steals. Marissa Morgan had 15 points on 7-for-9 shooting, and Savannah James had 15 points.

The Black Hawks lost to Whitefish Bay, 72-63, at home last Friday. James went off for 28 points, shooting 8-for-17 on three-pointers, including a late stretch that tightened the score. Aleknavicius had 11 points and Morgan had nine.

At Waupun on Monday, the Hawks held a 41-32 halftime lead over the No. 2-ranked team in Division 3. The Warriors stormed back for a 74-57 win.

James went off in the first half again, finishing with 26 points and six three-pointers for the game. The Hawks hit nine threes in the first 18 minutes, including a half-court buzzer-beater by Josie Gehrke.

“That’s awesome, but that’s not sustainable,” coach Matt D’Amato said of the shooting pace.

Aleknavicius had nine points. Gehrke had seven points and six rebounds. Morgan had four points, seven rebounds and four assists.

The Hawks, 5-4 in the NSC and 10-6 overall, were to host Nicolet on Tuesday, jan. 30, host Cedarburg on Thursday Feb. 1, West Bend West on Friday, Feb. 2, Sheboygan Falls on Saturday, Feb. 3, and play at Hartford on Tuesday, Feb. 6.

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