Girls basketball: Norskies head into postseason with a head of steam

The final chapter of the regular season had a twist.

Playing tough on the boards, the DeForest girls’ basketball team knocked off a strong Monona Grove team 75-69 on Thursday, Feb. 15, in a Badger Large Conference tilt. It was the final game for the Norskies, as they head into the postseason.

“Rebounding was the difference for us to be successful,” said DeForest head coach Jerry Schwenn. “Jada (Kelliher) and Alexis (Accuardi) each pulling down seven rebounds, and Rylan (Oberg) and Raegan (Smith) grabbing six each was the difference. Rebounding is desire, and that is the type of effort we are going to need in order to continue to extend our season.”

Oberg led the way with 25 points, while Kelliher finished with 20 and Derlein added 11 on Senior Night. Right from the start, DeForest showed its competitive spirit, taking a 17-13 lead.

Getting the win on senior night was a really exciting win for our team. We played really good team basketball.

“Getting the win on Senior Night was a really exciting win for our team,” said Oberg. “We played really good team basketball.”

The Norskies took a 37-31 into intermission and hung on to defeat the Silver Eagles (14-10 overall, 9-5 in conference play).

“I will forever remember this game,” said Linea Roed, an exchange student who plays for the Norskies. “We had amazing energy, and everyone was so excited. It was also a lot of fun to experience American traditions in sports. This night made me happy that I have been able to be a part of this team, and sad that it’s almost over. Let’s make the best of it.”

Oberg, who also had six assists and three steals, and the Norskies are looking ahead to the WIAA Division 2 playoffs, which begin on Friday for DeForest, when the No. 3 seed Norskies hosts the winner of Portage-La Crosse Central.

“Although Senior Night didn’t go as I’d ever imagined, it was still unforgettable by my teammates, coaches, and parents,” said Sophie Eiselt, a Norski senior. “Starting the game and passing the ball to Elyse (Snortum) for our first play is something I will never forget. It was very fun to see our team give their all throughout the game, never giving up. Then ending the night with a win made it a profound senior night to remember.”

On Tuesday, Feb. 13, DeForest (15-9 overall, 6-8 in Badger Large play) rolled out to a 28-16 halftime lead over Sauk Prairie (13-11 overall, 7-7 in the Badger Small) and cruised to a 53-43 Badger Conference crossover victory that took place at the Fiserv Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA.

“These were two big wins to close out the regular season,” said Schwenn. “Each game we had new players to step up when we needed a clutch play. On Tuesday, Ally Armstrong provided some offensive punch. On Thursday, (it was) Jordyn … It feels like we recognize the recipe for our success moving forward in the postseason.”

Oberg again paced the Norskies in scoring, finishing with 13 points, to go with nine rebounds and five assists. Armstrong chipped in with 12 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Derlein had seven boards, five assists and a steal. Mylee Kuipers also grabbed seven rebounds.

“We strive to make our girls basketball a meaningful and memorable experience for everyone involved,” said Schwenn. “The opportunity to play at the Fiserv Forum presented itself last summer, and we have put a lot of work into preparing for the details behind the scenes. To see the excitement of our players to play in a NBA arena, truly was priceless. All 19 players who suited up for the game were able to get on the floor during the game, and they will carry that memory with them forever.”

Oberg enjoyed the experience.

“Playing in Fiserv Forum was a really cool experience for our team,” said Oberg. “The atmosphere was really fun.”

It was memorable for Roed, as well.

“As an exchange student, being able to watch an NBA game has for a long time been a dream to me, and playing on that same court only a couple hours earlier was almost too good to be true,” said Roed. “If someone told me two years ago that I would be playing on an NBA court, I wouldn’t have believed it for a second.”