Raider girls fall in state semifinal game

Fouls proved to be the difference as the Arcadia girls basketball team had to go without who coach Tom Cowley said was the best player in the game for long stretches.

The Raiders had the lead and control of the game before a close call put a third foul on senior Ellie Hoesley, putting her on the bench and sparking an 11-0 run for Platteville. The Hilltoppers took a two-point lead into halftime, the Raiders still had chances and actual regained the lead briefly in the second half, but Hoesley’s fifth foul led to a game-deciding run for Platteville. 

Although they finished the season undefeated, Platteville would not go on to win the state championship because the rest of the tournament was cancelled (see story elsewhere in Sports).

The Raiders finished the season with a  record of 23-4. They will graduate five of the nine players who played in the state semifinal game.

Platteville 48 Arcadia 45

Down three with two minutes left, the Raiders had their chances, but with their leading scorer out of the game, they weren’t able to capitalize.

After Ellie Hoesley fouled out of the game with 4:19 remaining, Platteville went on a run to open up a seven-point lead, but the Raiders fought back as Linzy Sendelbach scored two straight baskets to get Arcadia back within three. 

After a Platteville miss, the Raiders got a good look at a shot to tie the game, but freshman Breah Golden’s three pointer was off the mark. 

Platteville scored two free throws on the next possession, then Sendelbach missed two for Arcadia. The Hilltoppers added one more free throw to take a five-point lead before Chloe Halverson scored at the buzzer for Arcadia.

The Raiders appeared ready to take control of the game in the first half as Hoesley knocked down a three pointer that capped an 11-0 run and put Arcadia ahead 17-10 with 6:15 left. 

About a minute later, however, Hoesley picked up her third foul as Platteville’s Sami Martin spun in traffic, bumped into Hoesley — who was standing with her hands in the air — and appeared to lose her footing as Hoesley was called for the foul.

With Hoesley on the bench, the Raiders were unable to overcome Platteville’s 1-3-1 defense. 

“(Hoesley) kinda controls the middle of the 1-3-1,” Cowley said. “We had a lot of success with Prescott and SCF doing the same thing. Losing her hurt the momentum and flow of the game.”

Martin made a free throw after Hoesley’s foul, which started an 11-0 run for Platteville that put them ahead 21-17 before Hannah Suchla scored with 20 seconds left in the half to make the score 21-19, which is where it stood at halftime.

Arcadia went on a run early in the second half to take a 26-24 lead as Sendelbach scored five points and Hoesley knocked down a jumper, but Platteville came right back.

Cameron Nies tied the game with a jumper then put her team ahead with a three before Martin scored inside to make the score 31-26.

Suchla connected on a three to get the Raiders within a basket before Hoesley knocked a shot down from outside the arc, making it a one-point game at 33-32 with 10:30 left.

After two baskets by Platteville, and two missed free throws by Suchla, Hoesley picked up her fourth foul on a charge in which she drove to the basket and passed to Sendelbach for a layup. After the pass, Hoesley made slight contact with Martin, who crashed to the floor for the foul with 8:36 left in the game.

Arcadia stayed close, though. Sendelbach scored two straight baskets and Hoesley knocked down a shot that made the score 39-38 with 5:40 left. Once again, though, a foul would change the direction of the game as this time Hoesley was called for her fifth when she attempted to swipe the ball out of the hands of a Platteville player. 

With Hoesley out, the Hilltoppers increased their lead to seven and clinched the game at the free-throw line.

In just 27 minutes, Hoesley scored 15 points and had seven rebounds. While she was on the floor, the Raiders outscored Platteville by six points.

“(Hoesely) is a difference maker,” Cowley said. “I firmly believe she was the best player on the floor.”

After a slow start shooting, the Raiders finished at 39.6 percent from the floor, one percentage point better than Platteville. Both teams had 12 turnovers and Arcadia had six more rebounds. The biggest difference for the Hilltoppers was the number of free throws they had, and their accuracy at the line as they went 17-for-21 from the charity stripe, while Arcadia was three-for-seven.

“(Free throws) were very important,” Cowley said, before noting the difference in attempts. “Unfortunately, we missed the few that we had.”

Martin scored 17 points to lead Platteville while Becca Hoyer finished with 11. 

Arcadia (field goals/attempts-free throws/attempts-rebounds-fouls-points) — Halverson 3/7-0/0-2-4-6 H. Suchla 4/9-0/2-3-3-10 Hoesley 6/8-1/1-7-5-15 Sendelbach 6/11-2/4-8-2-14 Romo 0/6-0/0-1-0-0 Passehl 0/0-0/0-2-0-0 A. Suchla 0/2-0/0-1-3-0 Pronschinske 0/0-0/0-1-1-0 Golden 0/5-0/0-0-0-0