Girls Basketball: Penn too much for Lake Central

Updated: November 19, 2011 10:26PM

ST. JOHN — Penn is No. 1 in the latest IBCA girls poll and it’s easy to see why.

The Kingsmen (3-0) were also first in the ICGSA poll last week — until they were replaced by Hamilton Southeastern — another outstanding team.

Even though it’s early in the season, exactly which team is better?

That’s understandably a difficult question for anybody to answer.

Lake Central coach Leslie Iwema might be the best person to ask.

Her Indians (2-3) have played both powerhouses at home — losing to Hamilton Southeastern by 22 points (60-38) last week — and absorbing a 77-31 pounding by Penn Saturday.

Well, coach?

“Hamilton Southeastern is a helluva team, they’re a great team, but I think Penn is the number one team in the state,” Iwema said. “They’re fundamentally sound, they anticipate well, they’re disciplined and they’re patient. All five players on the floor are all on the same page at all times.

“They may not be blazingly fast, but they run the floor extremely well, and at the most effective pace. They might be one of the smartest teams I’ve ever seen, because they don’t seem to care who scores. They’re very unselfish. They’re just looking for the most effective way to score.”

The Kingsmen scored in every way possible — putting on a clinic en route to building a whopping 51-point lead (77-26) in the final minutes.

“I was very pleased with the way we played today,” Penn coach Kristi Kaniewski said. “The things we worked on in practice this week translated to the floor and they executed them. We talk a lot about teamwork and being unselfish, because those things are the foundation for any unit’s success.”

Alexandria Morton scored a game-high 23 points to lead Penn, which placed five players in double figures. Taylor Lutz had 11 points, while Olivia Carlton, Jessica Alexander and Caroline Buhr all had 10.

Morton, who hit five 3-point shots, also had seven steals, three rebounds, two assists and a block. Buhr had seven rebounds, four steals, four assists and three blocks.

Jessica Bell led the Indians with six points and eight rebounds, while Lizzy Seymour also scored six.

“I told the girls after the game they got their butts kicked by the No. 1 team in the state,” Iwema said. “I told them if they can work hard for the rest of the season they might have a chance to meet them again later in the year (at the regional), but that’s up to them.”

 

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