Pointers get past Dodgers for first win

By Ronica Thousand

The Mineral Point Pointers earned their first victory of the season in girls basketball Tuesday night, turning in a strong all-around performance to defeat the Dodgeville Dodgers 59–34.

From the opening tip, the Pointers played with energy and precision, building an early lead that Dodgeville was never able to erase. 

Head coach Merrill Brunson said the defensive turnaround began with understanding the quality of their early-season opponents and tightening fundamentals. 

Brunson noted. “We took better care of the basketball, which leads to better defensive possessions, and the girls have worked really hard on their footwork and communication.” 

Mineral Point’s balanced attack was on display early, led by Sadie Miller and Maddy Kabat with 12 points each, and Lilly Houtakker adding 11. On offense, the Pointers executed with patience, moving the ball well and finding high-percentage shots—something Brunson emphasized as essential to their depth. 

“The best teams are unselfish and share the basketball,” he said. “Giving up a good shot for a great shot is what we are trying to accomplish. The girls moved the ball well.” 

Mineral Point set the tone defensively, forcing turnovers and limiting the Dodgers’ clean looks at the basket. Their consistent attack paid off, allowing them to take a 33–17 halftime advantage.

Dodgeville’s offense was paced by Marlie McGraw and Abilene Bartz, who each finished with 9 points. 

The Dodgers attempted to regroup in the second half, but the deficit proved too much to overcome. Mineral Point continued to apply pressure on both ends of the floor, preventing Dodgeville from establishing any sustained scoring runs. With contributions coming from nearly the entire lineup, each time Dodgeville looked poised to chip away, the Pointers countered with disciplined execution. 

By the fourth quarter, Mineral Point’s control was clear, and the Pointers sealed the 59–34 win with a composed finish. The victory not only handed Dodgeville its first loss of the season but also gave Mineral Point valuable momentum heading into conference play. 

With a strong, undefeated Fennimore squad up next, Brunson said the approach remains straightforward. 

“We are going to continue to work hard, watch film, and get better,” he said. 

Mineral Point will look to build on its first win of the season as it open conference action at home against Fennimore Friday night. Dodgeville aims to regroup quickly before returning to action at home against Viroqua.

“Mineral Point did a great job controlling the pace and tempo of the game,” said Dodgeville coach Alan Seabrooke.  “Our defense did a great job early in most possessions, but they were patient and waited for us to have a break down, then exploited it quickly.”

Seabrooke also said the Dodgers never got in sync with their offense. 

“Offensively, we had too many turnovers, many of which led directly to points for the Pointers. We will watch film and work to correct our mistakes.”  

SCORE BY HALVES

Mineral Point     33    26    59

Dodgeville           17    17    34

BOX SCORE

MINERAL POINT 59: (fg-ft-tp) Schultz 2-0-5, Christopher 1-0-3, Sadie Miller 3-4-12, Houtakker 5-1-11, Sophie Miller 1-2-4, Kabat 6-0-12, James 0-0-0, Ingwell 3-1-8, Wallace 1-2-4. Totals 22-10/15-59. Fouls-19

DODGEVILLE 34: Brom 0-0-0, L. Rielly 0-1-1, Moyle 0-2-2, Bradley 0-1-1, A. Reilly 0-1-1, Doughrty 3-0-6, McCutchin 0-0-0, McGraw 4-1-9, Arndt 0-0-0, Mallon 1-2-5, Bartz 3-1-9. Totals 11-9/23-34. Fouls-14

3 point goals:

MP-Schultz 1, Christopher 1, Sadie Miller 2, Ingwell 1

D-Bartz 2, Mallon 1