Basketball: Girls fall just short in two BRC losses

• Sarah Krier eyes the basket while being defended

Hudson junior Sarah Krier eyes the basket while being defended by an Eau Claire Memorial player in the first half of the Raiders’ 55-52 loss to the Old Abes last Tuesday night at the high school. Photo by Bob Burrows

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The Raider girls’ basketball team lost a pair of three-point games last week, coming up short to Eau Claire Memorial, 55-52, at home last Tuesday, Jan. 31 before dropping a 42-39 decision Friday, Feb. 3 at Menomonie.

“We had a shot,” head coach Ed Johnson said about both games. “That’s what you’re looking for. We had two chances at the end, unfortunately we couldn’t take advantage.”

The Raiders trailed by six with one quarter remaining last Tuesday against Memorial before a late rally fell just short. Maddie Drewiske, Kindra Witthus and Ellie Whitacre all finished with 11 points in the loss while Jessie Kirkwood added nine. Sarah Krier scored eight points and Katy Fox contributed two.

The Raiders held a two-point lead, 13-11, at the end of one before Memorial opened up a 32-25 halftime lead.

Friday at Menomonie, Hudson led 17-14 at the break and 30-29 at the end of three before the Mustangs outscored them 14-10 in the final frame to pull out the three-point victory. Menomonie’s lead grew to ten midway through the fourth quarter before another late Raider rally fell short.

“I think in both games this past week we were competitive in all four quarters,” Johnson said. “That’s a good step forward. Doing it consistently has been tough a times, but as we learn how to play in tight games at the end, we’ll keep putting ourselves in a position to win.”

Kirkwood was high scorer for Hudson with nine points, all from beyond the arc, while Krier finished with eight. Whitacre hit a pair of three-pointers to finish with six points and Fox added six points while Witthus scored five, Drewiske had three and Maggie Koehler added two.

Hudson, now 3-9 overall, will look for its first Big Rivers Conference win of the season when it travels to River Falls this Thursday, Feb. 9, for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

Tags: sports, basketball, raiders, prep