A Lincoln Lutheran Holiday Tournament title did not appear likely after Platteview took a 14-0, second-period lead against the Arlington girls basketball team Saturday afternoon.
The Eagles didn't waste time changing appearances, though.
Coach Tashia Wolf's team closed the first half on a 20-3 run and won, 43-39, with sophomore Emme Timm hitting the go-ahead bucket with about a minute left against the Trojans.
“Lots and lots of early jitters and a lack of patience with our press break caused a rough first quarter,” the coach said. “We regained our composure and started to execute the game plan, which was taking care of the ball and getting it to the middle of the floor.”
Taylor Arp and Britt Nielsen led the Eagles with 13 points apiece, racing down the floor on fast breaks to find openings. Timm, meanwhile, finished with 11 points, including the two that gave AHS a 40-39 lead with about 60 seconds left in the title game.
Free throws by Arp and Nielsen closed the victory out from there as Arlington capitalized on its first round win a day earlier, Dec. 29.
“So proud of their grit and fight,” Wolf said.
The Eagles faced little resistance from their tournament hosts in their first game after the holiday break, however, doubling Lincoln Lutheran's point total during the first period of a 57-24 win.
“It came down to being a team,” AHS senior Austyn Flesner said. “We played really well as a team and I think we were confident in each other.”
Six Arlington players scored between 14 and eight points, while their defensive play held the Warriors to less total points than coach Wolf's team had by halftime. Nielsen, a junior, led all scorers with 14 points, while Arp, Timm and Hailey O'Daniel scored nine apiece.
Flesner and sophomore Macy Wolf, meanwhile, scored eight points each for AHS.
“They were more worried about defending everybody rather than just a couple of players,” Flesner said of Lincoln Lutheran's approach against her squad's balanced attack. “They needed to watch out for all of us.”
After two wins to cap 2023, AHS is 10-1 overall this season. It next competes tonight at Raymond Central. The opening tip is set for 6 p.m.
AHS GIRLS HOOPS LINE SCORES
Saturday
Arlington 43, Platteview 39
AHS (10-1) 0 20 12 11 — 43
PHS (5-5) 11 6 15 7 — 39
Scoring: AHS — Taylor Arp 13, Britt Nielsen 13, Emme Timm 11, Macy Wolf 4, Austyn Flesner 2.
PHS — Baylee Tex 18, Emily Wiebelhaus 9, Hannah Tagel 3, Alexys Mandel 3, Maddy Stukenholtz 3, Brooklyn Stehlik 2, Chloe Wilen 1.
Dec. 29
Arlington 57, Lincoln Lutheran 24
AHS (9-1) 14 15 15 13 — 57
LL (0-9) 7 7 6 4 — 24
Scoring: AHS — Nielsen 14, Arp 9, Timm 9, Hailey O'Daniel 9, Wolf 8, Flesner 8.
LL — Jenna Luebbe 10, Ava Stroud 6, Sophie Wohlgemuth 6, Sawyer Benne 2.
