West girls win big, on to regional final Saturday

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Peter Zuzga

Wauwatosa West's Abbey Jones attempts to shoot over and past Juneau's Daisha Thompson and Maya Montgomery, rear, during the first half of the varsity teams regional game in Wauwatosa West High School Friday, March 9, 2012, in Wauwatosa, Wis.

Peter Zuzga

Wauwatosa West's Abbey Jones attempts to shoot over and past Juneau's Daisha Thompson and Maya Montgomery, rear, during the first half of the varsity teams regional game in Wauwatosa West High School Friday, March 9, 2012, in Wauwatosa, Wis.

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Wauwatosa West used a big fourth-quarter run to blow out Milwaukee Juneau/Morse-Marshall, 47-25, Friday night at West in a regional semifinal game and now advances to the regional finals at 7 p.m. Saturday at Wisconsin Lutheran.

Leading 30-20 going into the final period, the Trojans went on a 12-2 to put the game away.

First LaTasha Harmon hit two free throws, then Daisha Thompson scored for the Eagles. Then Harmon hit Elise Ditscheit with a perfect pass for a layup and then Ditscheit returned the favor with a breakout pass to Harmon for a fastbreak basket.

Harmon then passed to Jenna Lahmann who nailed a jumper and then Ditscheit hit Lahmann with another pass and the latter hit another long shot. Ditscheit closed it out with a steal and a pass to Jenna Engel for the score and a 42-22 lead with 3:47 left to play.

"Coach told us if we came out and worked hard we would win this game and advance in regionals," Lahmann said.

When asked about her big shots she talked about execution.

"We work on it (offense) a lot in practice," she said. "I just happened to be open and I took the shots."

Harmon had four points and two key assists in the fourth-period run.

"They knew I was the leading scorer and they blocked some of my shots," Harmon said. "So I just concentrated on my assists."

West changed from a box-and-one - Ditscheit and Engel tried to keep little point guard Tyree Vinson (5-foot-1) from handling the ball - and went to a 2-3 zone to begin the fourth period.

"I think that stunned them a little," West coach Ron Gavinski said. "I told the girls to execute; share the ball and that's what happened. We hit some good baskets, people were wide open.

"Jenna Lahmann hit two big shots. Harmon and Elise are my two best players. The difference is Harmon believes it, Elise doesn't just yet - and I don't mean that in a negative sense."

West had excellent balance, as Harmon had 12, Lahmann nine and Ditscheit, Engel, Abbey Jones and Jessica Pike each scored six points. Prevale McLin had 11 to lead the Eagles.

West led 16-7 behind Harmon's six points after one quarter and 21-11 at intermission in a low-scoring first half.