WORTHINGTON -- The Worthington Trojans girls' basketball team had been struggling, dropping three of four games before ending the season with a road victory against New Ulm last week.
The victory presented a reversal of fortunes for the second-seeded Trojans (15-7), who play in today's Section 2AAA quarterfinal round against No. 7 Mankato East at 7 p.m.
"We were struggling the last two games before that," WHS head coach Eric Lindner said. "It was a case where we were not shooting well from the perimeter and not getting production from the inside. Against New Ulm, it flip-flopped."
When things have gone well for the Trojans they have utilized a balanced inside-outside attack. Three players currently average double figures in scoring, led by Gabby and Sarah Boever at 13 ppg each. Holli Aggen follows at 10 ppg, with three others just short of the mark. Ashley Aggen is currently averaging 9 ppg, while both Alex Wetering and Alyssa Smith are at 8 ppg.
One area where the Trojans have had some trouble this year has been in scoring defense. While the team has scored an average of 66.4 ppg -- tops in Section 2AAA -- it has also allowed 60.1 ppg -- worst in the section.
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"We're putting up a lot of points, but also giving up a lot of points," Lindner said.
In fact, Worthington has allowed 65-plus points in a game eight times this year (they are 3-5 in such games).
One main difference this year is the Trojans don't have the similar size inside as they have in previous seasons. Wetering, however, has done a solid job filling the void left by Maria Boever last year, and will need to be at her best if the Trojans are to have a good run.
"Alex has been one of the reason we've been able to compete against these bigger teams," Lindner said. "She's able to contest some shots. You can't make up for being tall."
Worthington faces a familiar foe in Mankato East tonight. The two teams met in the second game of the season on Nov. 30, with Worthington coming up with a 75-67 victory. Gabby Boever led the Trojans in that game with 19 points, while Ashley Aggen added 16.
As for Mankato East, they were led by Megan Lundgren (24 points) and Katie Van Duynhoven (21 points), a post player who has the ability to take over the game.
"It's going to be a game where we need to limit her touches," Lindner said of Van Duynhoven. "We're going to have to keep her off the glass."
Lindner's team enters a sectional tournament that is much more up in the air than in previous years, with more teams able to win the three games needed to reach state.
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"I think there's more of a chance for an upset," he said. "We just have to take care of business, approach it one game at a time and see what happens."
