Gerrard Diaz, gdiaz@shawanoleader.com
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bonduel High School junior Deanna Zernicke moves the ball up the court Friday during a game against Gillett in Gillett. Zernicke led the Bears with 15 points in a 54-20 victory.
Deanna Zernicke continued on fire from beyond the 3-point arc Friday, and the Bonduel High School girls basketball team got win No. 2, 54-20 over Gillett on the road.
Zernicke, a 5-foot-6 junior guard, connected on five 3-pointers to lead the Bears with 15 points. Her first two in the first quarter both kept Bonduel within a point of the Tigers.
Zernicke had four 3s in Bonduel’s season opener against Suring on Tuesday.
“Lights out, this is wonderful,” Bonduel coach Missy Dowden said of Zernicke’s performance.
Since Zernicke moved up to varsity as a freshman, she had been reluctant to shoot, Dowden said.
“I think over the summer she’s gotten it in her head that there’s no other upperclassmen that are going to do this,” Dowden said. “So it is her job, and she’s just doing great.”
Bonduel (2-0) built a 15-13 lead in the first quarter, held Gillett (0-2) to two points in the second quarter and then limited the Tigers to just five in the second half, including a scoreless third quarter.
“It was a good solid win,” Dowden said. “We still have to work on our intensity in the first quarter and come out ready to go. That’s where we’re getting into trouble. We were able to settle down and take charge of the game.”
The Bears led 27-15 at halftime and outscored the Tigers 16-0 in the third period.
“We’re changing the defense a little bit from last year to this year,” Dowden said. “There’s still a learning curve. … They’re really pulling together knowing what they’re supposed to do.”
Jennifer Dowden, a 6-foot junior forward, scored 14 points and had five rebounds and three steals. Junior Alexa Reinke had seven points and led the team in rebounds with eight. She also had five assists.
The Bears’ bench, led by sophomore Hayley Pues’ six points and seven rebounds, pitched in 14 points.
“Everyone who got in stepped up,” Missy Dowden said. “I told them after the game that I can see the steps they’re taking adjusting to the speed of the varsity game compared to last year’s JV team.”
Kara Brennan, a 5-foot-9 senior forward, led Gillett with eight points.
In junior varsity action, Bonduel beat Gillett 50-13. Danee Collier had 11 points and 11 steals for Bonduel.
Bonduel (54)
Dowden 6 2-2 14, Reinke 3 0-0 7, C. Schmidt 0 0-2 0, Zernicke 5 0-0 15, Sorenson 1 2-2 4, Pues 2 1-2 6, Banker 1 0-0 2, Weier 2 0-0 4, M. Schmidt 0 2-2 2
Gillett (20)
Wolfe 0 1-2 1, Rotter 1 0-0 2, Sherman 1 1-4 4, Brennan 4 0-0 8, Wilbur 1 0-0 3, Francois 1 0-0 2
Bonduel 15 12 16 11 — 54
Gillett 13 2 0 5 — 20