PLYMOUTH – It wasn’t the prettiest girls basketball game, or morning as a whole, at Plymouth in the morning session of the Plymouth Girls Basketball Shootout. But for Indianapolis Brebeuf, a win is a win, which it attained against Wawasee, 38-30, in game two of the four-game holiday format.

Wawasee’s Kylee Rostochak has her shot blocked by Indianapolis Brebeuf’s Tayler Fitts during Brebeuf’s 38-30 in the Saturday morning session of the Plymouth Girls Basketball Shootout. (Photos by Mike Deak)

Brebeuf managed to weather the fog in the second half, notably in the fourth quarter after Wawasee trimmed the Lady Braves lead to 24-21 after Allissa Flores hit a jumper to end the third. Brebeuf would score the game’s next six points and come up with key defensive stops as Wawasee tried desperately to create shot attempts.

Anna Imhoff found herself at the foul line in the fourth, ultimately hitting all six of her attempts to boost a 17-point game, leading all scorers. Imhoff wasn’t sharp from the floor, making just one of 12 three-point attempts, but made up for it with five steals. Maggie Bill added 10 points, three rebounds and three assists for Brebeuf, which moved to 2-9 on the season with the win.

Wawasee would get no closer than five points at 30-25 when Aubrey Schmeltz hit a pair of short-range jumpers. Schmeltz finished with seven points and three rebounds, showing a little life in what was otherwise a rather mundane ballgame.

Allissa Flores of Wawasee dribbles past Brebeuf’s Gracie Medcalfe.

“We struggle offensively just executing, and walk through screens,” stated Wawasee head coach Kem Zolman, searching for a definitive reason for his club’s performance. “I wish I had a better answer. When my post freshman is leading us in scoring and we are relying on her, I don’t know what that says.”

Kylee Rostochak was held to seven points – five from the free throw line – as Brebeuf was happy to double team the guard on the perimeter and let someone else shoot. Flores finished with five points.

Wawasee as a team shot just 35 percent (9-26) and was particularly flat in the first half, making just 2-11 shots while committing eight turnovers.

In the annual event dating back to the 2005-06 season, the morning games have been less than energetic and often sluggish at best in the carousel of the four teams – Brebeuf, Wawasee, Norwell and Plymouth. Zolman felt his club’s output was part internal after not playing since Dec. 21, but also part of the environment that had less than 90 fans in the gym during the Wawasee-Brebeuf second half.

“Holiday tournaments are what they are,” Zolman stated, noting the schedule and breaks lead to what often results in poorer quality basketball. “Seasoned teams will come into these types of shootouts and wipe up its competition.

“I don’t see the level of player that can take over one of these things. Defenses can overcome slower offenses, and that’s what we saw today. Even Norwell didn’t come out and blow Plymouth away when it could have. It’s just what we’re seeing today overall. The overall product in girls basketball is just down right now.”

Wawasee (2-7) will come back for a 6 p.m. game against Norwell, with Brebeuf and Plymouth meeting in the day’s final contest.

Norwell Takes Punishment From Plymouth

In what was a very slow start to the day, the end of the 48-39 Norwell win over Plymouth in game one at least featured some energetic moments.

Plymouth, which trailed the entire game, didn’t stray far from its historic hard-nosed reputation and at least made Norwell work for its nine-point win. A trio of hard fouls by Plymouth, two of which sent Norwell players flying into the scorer’s table, woke up the Norwell crowd and, ironically, the Lady Knights as a whole.

Norwell hit six free throws in the final two minutes to ice the game, which had Kelsey Beer led her victorious team with 12 points despite suffering a sprained ankle in the second half. Hanna Smith added nine points and Laken Chaney eight points for the Lady Knights (7-3) while Plymouth (7-4) had 11 points from Hunter Stevens and 10 points each from Haley Harrell and Nicole Horvath.

Hannah Haines of Wawasee and Gracie Medcalfe of Brebeuf fight for a loose ball.