Posted: Feb. 3, 2010

The Wauwatosa West girls basketball team broke open two close games with two big quarters to record two easy victories last week.

The wins improved the Trojans' record to 8-4, good enough for third place in the Woodland Conference Black Division. They are 10-5 overall.

The Trojans beat Port Washington in a nonconference game, 52-35, Jan. 27 at home, and then came back and whipped St. Francis, 50-35, on the road in a conference tilt.

"Our defense played pretty well, especially against Port," Tosa West coach Mike Pietrowiak said. "We came out with good energy and got after them. When we do that, our defense sets us up for our offense."

The Trojans only led 22-20 after the first half against the Port Washington Pirates, and then exploded in the third quarter for an 18-4 advantage to take a 16-point lead into the final period.

Jenna Engel and Jackie Glaser each had 10 points, while Ashley Ballinger added eight and Jessica Allemang and Mariah Smith added seven.

The victory over St. Francis was a little harder to come by, as Tosa West led only 31-28 after three quarters before blowing out the Mariners with a 19-7 fourth-period run.

Glaser had another big scoring game, dropping in 16 points, nine coming on 3-point shots and three on free throws.

"We figured out what she was doing with her shot," Pietrowiak said. "We spent some time on it. When she had her elbow out, she had a flat shot. When she brought it in, her shot arched and she hit nothing but net."

Ballinger also had a big game with 14 points, while Smith and Allemang added nine and seven points, respectively.

Pietrowiak was happy with his team's rebounding and the defensive pressure his guards put on the opposition during the week.

 

- Tom Skibosh