Kernels thriving in close games during 10-game win streak, but face tough end to season - The Daily Republic

Not every game has been beautifully played, but the Kernels simply find ways to win. They’ve vaulted to No. 5 in the Class AA prep media poll for several weeks during their 10-game win streak, which features six double-digit victories.

The Kernels have been finding ways to win when they’re not at their best which has stood out, though. Mitchell is 3-1 in games decided by five points or less this year, which doesn’t include double-digit wins over Pierre and Spearfish when it either trailed or was tied heading into the fourth quarter. It erased a 13-point halftime deficit on Saturday to cap the current win streak with a 60-49 victory against the Spartans.

“When I got to the end of last year, I thought there were probably 4-6 games I wanted back because we lost them in close situations,” said Mitchell coach Cole Knippling, as it went 0-3 in games decided by five points or less. “... All of those losses in close situations, it seems like we’ve learned those lessons and every chance we’ve gotten, we’ve improved and done what we needed to do to win the game.”
Throughout this run, Knippling has pointed toward his senior’s experience at multiple crucial points. The Kernels also returned the majority of their bench production, which has only gotten more consistent this year with Taylor Giblin, Mariyha Turner and Sarah Sebert, who scored 19 points in two weekend games.

The additions of Sawyer Stoebner and Lizzie Tyler have also been beneficial. Stoebner had all but one rebound in the second half of her 20-point, nine-board performance, while Tyler’s defense on Spearfish’s Stella Marcus was a microcosm of the increased defensive intensity everyone on Mitchell showed in the second half.

The improvements have resulted in Knippling praising the ball movement and team defense more often this year, compared to stressing the importance of playing as a team after games last year.

“That just shows how much we’ve grown in the last year considering how crazy the summer was with being able to get into the gym and get workouts in,” Mitchell senior Macy Kempf said. “We definitely play as a team more this year than last year.”
Mitchell’s final five games is a gauntlet, though. It features four of the top-six teams in seed points in Class AA -- Mitchell is No. 2 and it already defeated Brandon Valley to kick off the win streak. The Kernels travel to Harrisburg at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

They went 1-4 on this same stretch to end last year.

“This will be a make or break deal. It will show how good we really are and how much we can compete with those teams,” Kempf said. “… I think if we can go out and compete and play hard with those teams, it shows how much better we’ve gotten and how good we are.”

If anything captures Mitchell’s desire to improve, it was Macy Kempf after Friday’s 60-49 win over Sturgis. She had a team-high 16 points during a game it never trailed. But after the game, she went back to the court to shoot free throws after a 2-for-6 performance at the line.

She went 7-for-13 against Spearfish the next day, including 6 of 8 during the second half when Mitchell’s free-throw woes turned into a strength. Stoebner went 10-for-12 and Camryn Krogman knocked down 7 of 8 at the line.

The Kernels have struggled with free-throw shooting at times this year, but their work ethic is partly why Knippling isn’t worried.

“I never worry because I know we’re good. I hope we get the ship righted and not have to go to practice to do so,” Knippling said. “Sawyer Stoebner shot free-throws amazing. She’s been a 50 percent free-throw shooter, but she works on them everyday.”

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https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/sports/basketball/6877651-Kernels-thriving-in-close-games-during-10-game-win-streak-but-face-tough-end-to-season

2021-02-08 21:00:00Z
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