PRIOR LAKE 78, NEW PRAGUE 64
After Saturday’s record setting performance, McKenna Hofschild delivered an encore of 33 points in a win over former Missota rival New Prague at home on Thursday night. Hofschild and her Lakers were in a dog fight with NP. The Trojans led 47-44 early in the second half.
This was a turnaround from the beginnings of the game where PL established a 14-6 lead but fouls and missed defensive assignments plus NP hot shooting from 3 point land put the Trojans back in the game. With four minutes left in the half NP had their biggest lead at 33-27 (a 27-13 run) after a 3 by Amanda Giesen. Giesen and Emily Russo were the driving force for NP. Russo had 13 of the 39 NP points at half, she had the ability to score both inside and could stretch the defense with a pair of 3s. She ended up with 26 points on the night and was the only real effective Trojan at the line going 8/11. With PL picking up fouls left and right NP went to the line frequently. 32 times to be precise. The rest of the squad was 10/21.
The Lakers exploded in the second half in the space of 2:30 scoring 14 points in six possessions (thanks to three 3s) and zoomed in front 55-47. Hofschild’s 3 from up top put the home town Lakers up in front for good at 49-47. Teammate Haidyn Pitsch knocked down a pair of 3s in the surge. NP had one last gasp capped by an &1 from Russo to make it 55-54. The game was still in the balance after a Russo 3 from the right side made it 63-60 with five minutes left. The Lakers had a finishing kick of 15-4 with Hofschild putting an exclamation point on the night by igniting the final run with six straight points on three possessions.
So how does Hofschild do it? She was 11/17 on 2s and 1/3 on 3s. Her shots in 2 point land are off the bounce. Once she gets in the neighborhood of the free throw line, she cashed in 6/8. (12 points or 36.4% of the total). Getting to the rim (four times good on her natural left side) yielded a 5/8 mark (10 points or 30.3%). Hofschild is always driving (she bounces 89% of her possessions) and is adept at getting fouled (7 times tonight). And once at the line it was gold. She was 8/8 (or 24.2% of her totals).
This was the first time this week a home team beat the visitor.
The PL starters had a pp100 of 132.7 with four starters in double digits. NP’s starters were about where the team ended up for the game at 84.8.
Russo also joined the 41 Club tonight.
| PRIOR LAKE | NEW PRAGUE | |
| POINTS | 78 | 64 |
| REBOUNDS/OFF | 27/8 | 42/17 |
| TURNOVERS | 14 | 32 |
| FTA/% | 13/76.9 | 32/56.3 |
| 2FG%/3FG% | 59.5/30.0 | 43.8/31.6 |
| PP100 | 105.4 | 84.2 |
| TOP SCORER | McKenna Hofschild 33 | Emily Russo 26 |
TRENCH PLAYER: You had to ask? McKenna Hofschild with 33 points, a pp100 of 173.7 and a 47 in the 31 Club.