Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

WEST BRANCH – The offensive production picked up for West Branch in the second half of its matchup with Solon on Thursday night.

The Bears shot a blistering 67 percent from the field, connected on 6-of-8 free throws and scored 44 points in the final two quarters.

None of that was what had Jarod Tylee and the rest of the Bear coaching staff smiling down the stretch.

That distinction belonged to the Bears’ defense.

West Branch held Solon to seven points and a single field goal in the second half on its way to a 72-24 win over the Spartans in a non-conference contest in West Branch.

“I told them that’s the best defensive game we have had all year,” Tylee said. “I feel like we are progressing from game to game rather than taking any steps backwards so I am happy but I’m never going to be satisfied until we get to where we want to get to.”

Sophomore guard Sasha Koenig poured in a game-high 28 points and fellow sophomore Taya Young added 12 as West Branch improved to 5-0.

It was the defensive effort for the Bears that stole the show.

West Branch limited Solon to 17 percent shooting and forced 21 turnovers while holding the Spartans to a season-low 24 points.

“Our coaches were really happy with how we played defense tonight,” Koenig said. “Rick Sexton our defensive coach he was just delighted, he was super happy.”

Solon (2-4) led 11-8 six minutes into the game as Sara Ruzicka, MaKinley Levine and Jenna LaDage all hit first-quarter 3-pointers.

It was all West Branch from that point on.

Koenig scored eight points in 45 seconds as the Bears closed the first quarter on an 8-1 run.

“It’s confidence mainly,” Koenig said. “When we finally start making some shots we all start to get confidence and create more. Making those first few shots was huge.”

After the opening five minutes West Branch locked down on defense, hold Solon to 13 points on just three field goals over the final three and a half quarters.

West Branch outscored Solon 56-12 over the final three quarters.  

“We can analyze this all day long but we just got pounded,” Solon coach Jamie Smith said. “There is no other way to put it we just got ran out.”

Leading 21-17 West Branch closed the first half on a 7-0 run that featured four points from Koenig and a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Rylan Druecker.

The Bears then put the game out of reach with a 15-2 run to start the second half.

After shooting 36 percent in the first half West Branch made 10-of-16 third-quarter field goals.

“Early in the first half we were rushing things too much and I wanted us to get in the flow and get some movement,” Tylee said. “I thought we did a better job of that.”

Koenig led the West Branch offensive charge with 28 points and added nine rebounds as the Bears held a 44-27 advantage on the glass.

“We couldn’t match up with their guard, she was really good,” Smith said. “I think she’s big time, I think she has an opportunity to be a Division I player, I really do.”

LaDage led Solon with 11 points and Levine added 10 for the Spartans which host Benton Community (1-3) on Friday.

“We don’t have a time, we have to regroup and that’s the good thing about it,” Smith said. “you don’t have time as a coach and you don’t have time as a player we have to move forward.”

West Branch opens an important three-game string on Friday with a road trip to Class 2A eighth-ranked and defending state champion Cascade.

The Bears host South Division contender Wilton (5-0) on Tuesday and travel to No. 8 Bellevue next Friday.

“We can enjoy this until we go to bed tonight and we wake up tomorrow morning and we have the defending state champs tomorrow,” Tylee said. “Our next three games are going to be tough as heck and we have to be ready to go.”

West Branch             16  12  21  23  –  72

Solon                        12   5    4    3   –  24

West Branch (72) – Lexi Peak 0-0 3-4 3, Riley Vaughan 1-1 0-0 2, Sasha Koenig 12-23 0-1 28, Kaiya Luneckas 1-4 0-0 2, Delaynie Luneckas 3-3 2-2 8, Taylor Thein 2-5 0-0 4, Taya Young 5-12 2-6 12, Rylan Druecker 3-8 0-0 7, Mackenzie Heise 3-4 0-2 6, Team 30-60 7-15 72

Solon (24) – Allison Capper 0-3 0-0 0, Ava Stebral 0-3 0-0 0, Saige Hauer 0-4 0-0 0, Aira Foster 0-1 0-0 0, Kaia Holtkamp 0-9 0-4 0, MaKinley Levin 3-6 2-2 10, Sara Ruzicka 1-2 0-0 3, Abby Smith 0-2 0-2 0, Jenna LaDage 3-10 3-4 11, Skyler Stookey 0-2 0-0 0, Team 7-42 5-12 24.

3-point field goals – WB 5-14 (Koenig 4-9, Thein 0-1, Young 0-2, Druecker 1-2), SOL 5-28 (Capper 0-3, Stebral 0-3, Foster 0-1, Holtkamp 0-6, Levine 2-5, LaDage 2-8, Ruzicka 1-2). Rebounds – WB 44 (Koenig, K. Luneckas 9), SOL 27 (Smith 12). Turnovers – WB 10, SOL 21. Total fouls – WB 9, SOL 12. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.