THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Conway High School Athletics

GODDARD – The Hutchinson High School Salthawk girls were patient in setting up their offense early against Eisenhower Friday night. But the Salthawks’ open looks drew the iron of the rim often, going 7-for-31 in the first half. The missed shots didn’t deter Hutchinson from firing away. The more the Salthawks shot, the more the ball bounced back into their hands. Hutchinson hauled in 50 rebounds and 29 second-chance points on its way to a 51-45 win on the road. “We’re not the best shooting team around, so we told them they’re going to sit back in the zone and our threes, fours and five had to be active,” said Hutchinson coach Casey Stiggins. Perhaps the biggest offensive rebound of the game was corralled by Madyson Regier off a shot by Gabbie Posch. Posch wheeled the ball around to a wide-open Brooke Ackley, who nailed the trey from the wing to give the Salthawks a 29-19 lead in the third quarter. Hutchinson led 20-16 at halftime. Jayla Bynum was the recipient of a several Tiger misses as she rumbled inside with all 13 of her points in the paint. Ackley made one field goal for the Salthawks, and that was her third quarter trey, but the senior went a perfect 14-of-14 from the free-throw line to finish the game with a team-high 17 points. “If it wasn’t for Brooke (Ackley) going 14-of-14 from the free-throw line, we lose that game,” Stiggins said. “We’re not going to be able to put teams away because we don’t shoot it well enough, so until we can become better shot makers, that’s the way it’s going to be.” Hutchinson climbed out to a 13-point lead, but Eisenhower was able to cut the deficit to six with under four minutes remaining. The Salthawks finally sealed it with an offensive rebound on a missed free throw by Regier. The offensive board was grabbed by Ackley, who dished the ball to Posch. Posch was fouled on the shot attempt. She went 1-of-2 from the line to put the Salthawks up by seven. Six of Ackley’s 14 trips to the free-throw line came after she was fouled on a 3-point attempt on two separate occasions. The plays baffled Ackley. “That was pretty weird,” Ackley said. “Especially twice in one since it never happened this season at all. I’m not complaining about it.” THE QUICK HIT KEY STAT: The Salthawks out rebounded Eisenhower 50-26 and went 20-for-27 from the free-throw line. THE TURNING POINT: Brooke Ackley was fouled on her second 3-point attempt of the game after Eisenhower had cut the lead to single digits. Ackley stepped to the line to knock down all three free throws in the third quarter to give Hutchinson a 32-19 advantage. PLAYER OF THE GAME: The Salthawks needed every single free throw made by Brooke Ackley. Her perfect 14-of-14 night lifted the Salthawks. HE SAID IT: “Right now we have to get one more win to play at home during substate, that’s all we’re focused on right now, try and get better and have some confidence to play at home for substate. I don’t know if we got better tonight, but we’ll take a win.” – Hutchinson coach Casey Stiggins. NEXT: The Salthawks (7-11) return home to play Derby.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Conway High School Athletics

BIG NIGHTS FROM ACKLEY AND BYNUM FUELS HHS

KELTON BROOKS

The Hutchinson News | 2/17/2017