Kietlinski continues to frustrate CWC-10 defenses

Since she started playing for Bowler High School, Reanne Kietlinski has been finding ways to score consistently.

Halfway through her junior campaign, Kietlinski broke Taylor Rosinski’s school career scoring record, set in 2010. Rosinski’s mark of 1,258 points fell on Jan. 24, and Kietlinski now sits at 1,430 career points with the playoffs and a senior season still ahead of her.

“Right now, as Reanne is facing a lot of triangle-and-twos and box-and-ones, it’s almost like tackle football out there trying to keep her away from the ball,” Bowler head coach AJ Miller said.

Kietlinski, who finished second in Player of the Year voting in the Central Wisconsin Conference-10 last season to Tri-County’s Amber Baehman, leads the conference in scoring with 24.8 points per game.

From a young age, Kietlinski knew she could score more than most. But now, as defenses focus on her, she has become a better passer and understands how a box-and-one defense makes the game simpler for her teammates.

With her defender pulled out of the post, and the remaining players basically play a four-on-four game, Kietlinski helps the Panthers in any way she can.

Her shooting percentage is up to 56 percent, up nearly 6 percent from last season despite taking fewer shots and playing more minutes.

“When I was a freshman or younger, I could always shoot the ball or handle and stuff,” Kietlinski said. “I think now I’ve learned a lot about creating my own shot, whether that is off the dribble into a jump shot or a step back or that.”

The Panthers, a seventh seed in their WIAA Division 5 regional, host the 10th-seeded Rosholt Hornets in a regional quarterfinal Tuesday. The winner will likely travel to No. 2 Loyal on Friday for the semifinal.

Bowler relies on seniors Taylor Matsche, Brooke Breitrick and Erica Wolf in the starting lineup along with Kietlinski, but it’s always the junior who needs the ball when the game is close.

“I think she finally realized that, at the end of the game, no matter what, we need the ball in her hands,” Miller said. “That it’s got to be in her hands whether it’s to shoot free throws down the stretch, to handle and take care of the ball, to be a shooter, whatever we need over and over, that’s what she does.”

Kietlinski, who plays atop a 2-3 zone normally for the Panthers, is able to force steals and consistently push the ball up the court.

“I have pretty quick hands and I think my defense really sets up my offense, because I think if I get the ball, I think I’m fast enough to beat people down the court,” Kietlinski said.

Kietlinski has scored 500 points or more in each of the past two seasons. If she continues that scoring pace, she can move potentially into the top-20 scorers in state history.

Ann Kattreh, of Kohler, sits in 20th place with 1,993 points.

“It would be nice to see a kid like that, that works that hard, get 2,000 points because it’s a really big deal,” Miller said.

Kietlinski, who played AAU basketball with the Wisconsin Blizzard this past offseason, also volunteers to referee Special Olympics basketball tournaments in Stevens Point occasionally with her father, Ted.

It’s made her appreciate the game at a different level.

“It’s so cool to see how they’ll work the ball around for the shot or even an extra pass to get an extra basket and the teamwork there is so creative,” she said.

Kietlinski continues to build her legacy with the Panthers, but her work ethic and personality will stick around the school much longer.

“She’s an unbelievable basketball player, super bright kid, but I think off the basketball court and away from basketball in general, she’s just a great human being,” Miller said. “Ted and Carla did a great job raising their children, and it shows with her.”