Takeaways From the Arrowhead-Neenah Game Last Night

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As most of you know, I rarely talk about single games. However, games like the one last night between Neenah and Arrowhead all but demand it. Let's break down all the aspects of the game in Hartland between two of the top programs in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Neenah's Frontcourt</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You could tell [player_tooltip player_id='444784' first='Amaya' last='Jones'] is still working back into game shape after an ACL tear last season, but you can see what she brings to the floor. She's a physical presence that most teams can't match. She led the Rockets in rebounding off the bench in the first half and gave them productive minutes.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Neenah's Backcourt</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='189502' first='Allie' last='Ziebell'] is the fuel that makes the Rocket offense run, but the cast of characters around her allows her to be the player she is. [player_tooltip player_id='533065' first='Rowan' last='Klesmit'], for one, is a kid who's at her best when she has the ball in her hands, embraces an off-ball role with the Rockets, and attacks closeouts well all game. [player_tooltip player_id='509694' first='Ellie' last='Buss'] got into foul trouble early but showed flashes of what Buss could be this season. She made some threes, played through pressure, and didn't turn the basketball over. The fits all make sense. They'll play together more through the season and figure it out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Arrowhead's Five</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The lineup of [player_tooltip player_id='533069' first='Presly' last='Samz']-[player_tooltip player_id='533057' first='Natalie' last='Kussow']-[player_tooltip player_id='533082' first='Libby' last='Gilmore']-Abby Robel-[player_tooltip player_id='444796' first='Erica' last='Bub'] played about 29ish minutes together last night. You could tell they've been together awhile, Kussow-Gilmore-Samz having played together for years before getting to high school with [program_tooltip program_id='713045' first='Wisconsin' last='Lakers']. They better understood what each other was doing, leading to longer offensive possessions with payoffs at the end.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='444796' first='Erica' last='Bub'], who flies under the radar, has been one of Arrowheads' most effective kids. Ever since the game she played at Germantown with Harper out, I've thought Bub was a fantastic wing and had a future in basketball if she wanted, and she proved that right again last night.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='533082' first='Libby' last='Gilmore'] was arguably the most crucial kid in the Warhawks' win because of the defensive assignment she took, the shots she made, and her willingness to attack the glass while giving up some size. She's the kid that makes the Warhawk operation work.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I have to talk about [player_tooltip player_id='533057' first='Natalie' last='Kussow'] a little more today. That kid's built to score the basketball. Everything about her suggests that she'll be among the best scorers in the state until she graduates. Her aggressive mindset sets her apart from kids who are as talented but don't have the willingness to do everything possible to win a game. Once she got the outlet pass with 10 seconds to go down a point, I don't think anyone in the gym thought she wasn't about to put the Warhawks ahead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->