After a long break from basketball, the Lady Lancers got back on the court January 13. The girls played a young and struggling Muskego team at home; however, they were not able to completely shut down Muskego liked they had hoped.  The girls won by a margin of seven in a 44-37 victory.

When asked how she and the team felt about their performance, senior captain Emma Brauer responded, “We weren’t necessarily content with the game, but a win is a win.  We just lacked intensity.”

Caroline Busch led the Lancers in scoring with 16, followed by Emma Brauer with eight. The entire team struggled from behind the line and shot a .50 average, which is significantly lower than the .70-.80 average the girls typically have.

Although the Lancers started out the first half with a slow lead of 16-12, they came out of halftime with an extra burst of energy after a talk with Coach Liebl. Neither team maintained consistent possession, yet the Lancers had some good looks at the basket. Both Caroline Busch and Megan Olson made shots from behind the arc, and Rachel Kolb, Claire Haynes, and Brauer got some shots underneath the hoop.

A win is a win, and the team is happy with that, but their upcoming schedule does not allow for much time of celebration. The Lady Lancers’ schedule is packed full of quality competition from the end of January through early February, as they will play strong teams including DSHA, Waukesha North, and Sussex Hamilton.

The girls are all well aware of the challenges this schedule presents and are doing their best to be sufficiently prepared. “Right now we are in the process of trying to make our practices more game-like so we are better prepared for games,” Brauer states. “We also need to be more focused on the fundamentals and learn how to avoid simple turnovers.”

The coaching staff is also aware of the difficulties its team is about to face and is trying to equip the girls with the tools they need to be successful.  Brauer’s older brother Billy, a 2013 graduate, has been brought into practices to help prepare the girls.  Billy Brauer’s strength and agility simulates that of DSHA’s Arike Ogunbowale- a Notre Dame Basketball commit. She is the number one player in the state and difficult to stop on offense.

The girls hope that they shook off all their rust from break in their less than perfect Muskego matchup. Because the next month will be a challenge for the Brookfield Central Girls’ Basketball team, but one they are definitely ready to face.