Manitowoc Lutheran coach Mike Behnke talks about his junior class after Thursday's WIAA Division 4 state girls basketball semifinal at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon. USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
ASHWAUBENON – At full strength, Manitowoc Lutheran faced a tall order — figuratively and literally — in its bid to beat Melrose-Mindoro on Thursday night.
Melrose-Mindoro has lost just once over the past two seasons, with defending Division 4 state champion Aquinas turning the trick last season.
The Lancers came into their state semifinal hobbled.
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Lauren Griepentrog, a 5-foot-8 senior guard, has been sidelined since December with a shoulder injury. Junior forward Emily Behnke was hindered by a high ankle sprain.
Nothing came easy for the Lancers, who watched their season end with a 64-30 setback at the hands of the Mustangs in a WIAA state semifinal at the Resch Center.
Manitowoc Lutheran concluded its season at 21-5. The Mustangs earn a date with Aquinas, 75-38 winner over Crandon, in the state title game at 12:45 p.m. Saturday.
“All year, we didn’t know what our starters would be and who would be healthy,” Lancers coach Mike Behnke said. “It’s been a roller-coaster ride all season with injuries, then we’d get the flu bug.”
Manitowoc Lutheran needed Emily Behnke, a 6-2 center, against the lengthy Mustangs.
Melrose-Mindoro's twin sophomore towers — Mesa Byom, who stands 6-1, and 6-foot Emily Herzberg — turned the paint into their personal playground.
That was particularly true for Herzberg, who put on quite a show in the semifinal.
A Division I South Dakota State commit, Herzberg stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points, 8 rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals. That was just in the first half.
“I thought (Herzberg) took advantage of her length. There was a huge turning point in the game when she had like three or four blocks,” Mustangs coach Joey Arneson said. “Manitowoc Lutheran has some good size. Once of our concerns was to limit the shots Behnke had and I thought every shot was contested.”
Byom and Herzberg caused the Lancers all sorts of fits.
Herzberg finished with 20 points, including a 4-for-7 performance from deep. Byom also did her share of damage with 11 points, a game-high 12 rebounds, four blocks and three steals.
Count coach Behnke among those impressed with what Herzberg brings to the court.
“(Herzberg) is listed at 6-1 but she has to be at least 6-3 with a long wing span,” Mike Behnke said. “I thought their length hurt us. We got beat on the boards (44-39) and that doesn’t happen very much to us.”
Dialing long distance
Emily Behnke waited until the state tournament to show she can be a threat from distance.
She had attempted just two 3-pointers all season coming into the playoffs and had yet to drain one. That all changed when Behnke knocked down a 3-pointer early in the second half
With the inside all but shut off by the Mustangs’ length, Manitowoc Lutheran gave the perimeter a try with minimal success. They connected on a pair of 3-pointer on eight attempts.
