Since their disappointing loss against Lake Crystal on January 8, the Cyclone Girls Basketball has played with a chip on their shoulder as they have cruised to six straight wins as they defeated MCW 61-52 on January 25 and got their revenge against the LCWM Knights on January 27.
The matchup against MCW was tightly contested as both teams are at the top of the Valley Conference with St. Clair in first and MCW in third. The first half turned into a physical battle closer to the basket as jump shots were few and far between, but Brooklin Hinze has been a battering ram for the Cyclones all season as she took to the basket for a majority of 31 points in the game. Brooklyn Meng scored 14.
The Cyclones were down 25-28 after the half and Coach Brian Noyes emphasized with his players that doing the little things over the course of the game will bring them back. “I wanted them to really focus on the fundamental little things in the second half, which can really separate a good team from a great one and those kinds of things can add up over the course of a game.”
Noyes’ sage wisdom appeared to jolt the Cyclones awake as the shots began to fall as the two teams traded baskets until St. Clair sank some critical free throws in the game’s final minutes to secure the victory.
The win marked the team’s fifth straight win and Noyes highlighted the improved shooting from his players as a key factor in the streak. “We had a stretch where we just weren’t shooting the ball like we are capable of. We have really talented shooters and we pushed them to keep shooting and we are starting to see the results.”
The upcoming game was a possibility to avenge a frustrating performance against LCWM on January 8 and Noyes noted that his players were ready for the rematch. “Our kids were very disappointed in how they played in that first matchup, so I know they will be excited and ready to play.”
In their third Coaches vs. Cancer event, the Cyclone girls were able to secure their vengeance against the LCWM Knights with a commanding 63-47 victory. Coach Noyes was all business when he stated that his team “didn’t play well on both sides of the ball” in the first matchup between the two teams and vowed that the Cyclones were a “different team” than they were a few weeks ago. He did have a cheerier tone when it came to St. Clair’s five game winning streak and detailed the key points for their success. “We have really stepped it up on the defensive end and we’re shooting with confidence; we relied on our three talented seniors to lead us every game and they’ve responded in a big way.”
The first half started out well for the Cyclones as their aggression got them to an early lead against the Knights. After a timeout by the LCWM coach, the Cyclone offense screeched to a halt for several minutes as the Knights’ size in the post led to second chance buckets and some early foul trouble for Steph Cink. The two teams battled for the remainder of the first half and were tied at 31 in the first half’s final moments until Aubree Mathiowetz sank a corner three with seconds remaining to give St. Clair the lead into halftime.
The Cyclones showed more of a fight in this rematch, but continued to struggle to close off possessions to a bigger and stronger opponent. Assistant Coach Tim Andree highlighted during the break how they hope to adjust on both ends of the floor. “Offensively: we have to stay out of foul trouble–it’s hard to put points on the board when your two best scorers have to sit out. Defensively: we have to eliminate the second chance points for them and close out better on their corner threes.”
Upon Cink’s return in the lineup for the second half, the entire tone of the game shifted in the Cyclones’ favor as St. Clair’s offense was reinvigorated and jump shots fell with ease. Brooklin Hinze struggled in the January 8 matchup and took a heavy dose of punishment on the court; however, she remained calm and collected when her dribble drives failed and would kick out to an open teammate or step back for a jump shot of her own. Lake Crystal attempted to regain control in the post, but St. Clair was able to close out more effectively and ended possessions more quickly–frustrating their coach into a verbal warning by the referee.
The tables officially turned for St. Clair when a Lake Crystal player drove to the basket, and when she lowered her shoulder to brace for impact, a move she had done throughout the game, she was toppled over. The writing was on the wall after that moment as St. Clair cruised to a sweet victory 63-47. Hinze scored 22, Cink had 18, and Meng had 11.
The win marked six straight victories for the Cyclones as Noyes praised his players for responding in the second half. “We talked about some defensive keys at the half, and I thought they responded really well, which helped us get the separation we needed on the scoreboard.”
The Cyclones are on a roll as they move to 12-5 on the season with a commanding 9-1 record in the Valley Conference. Noyes had many positive things to say about his team’s recent performance, but like any coach, knows there is always room to improve. “We’ve got a really skilled offensive group, but we need to buy into the defensive end of the floor if we want to reach that next level once we face off against section opponents. We’re going to need to ramp it up defensively if we want to make some noise in the playoffs.”
The Cyclone girls are on an offensive tear these last six games, but their defense against Lake Crystal showed the full potential of a great team. They will look to continue their dominance as they face off against Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons on January 29, Belle Plaine on February 1, and Mankato Loyola on February 2. Go Cyclones!
