Scrimmage ends in 46-46 draw

Wednesday, October 27

Missoula, Mont.

5 PM

Montana

Maroon-Silver scrimmage

10/27/2021 8:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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By: Montana Sports Information

The annual Maroon and Silver scrimmage ended in a 46-46 deadlock on Wednesday evening at Dahlberg Arena, but the final score is never the most important result on this night, the informal kickoff to the season ahead.

It's about getting back in front of fans again, a reunion after a long time away. In some places, that's just a bigger deal than others.

"It's a scrimmage at 5 o'clock on a Wednesday and there were people who showed up. That's one of the reasons I wanted to come," said first-year coach Brian Holsinger.

"This place cares. They love women's basketball. Our kids felt it and they loved it."

It was also a chance for those few hundred fans to get an in-person look at what feels like a new program, with a mostly new coaching staff and plenty of new names and faces to get to know.

Of course there is some familiarity. Carmen Gfeller, after going 1 for 5 in the first half, looked like her normal self over the final two, eight-minute quarters, going 6 for 12 for 13 points.

Abby Anderson went 5 for 10 to score 10 points and added three blocks, and Sophia Stiles totaled five rebounds and five assists.

With a roster of 13 and Kylie Frohlich and Willa Albrecht sitting this one out, it allowed plenty of minutes for the newcomers.

No one impressed quite as much as freshman Dani Bartsch, who hit five of her eight shots and posted a double-double, with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

"Today felt comfortable," she said. "I was nervous coming in, but my team was super confident and told me it's just like a practice. That definitely helped. And playing alongside teammates makes it easy."

Bartsch also hit a 3-pointer, part of Montana's encouraging 10-for-22 effort from the arc.

"It's definitely an adjustment from high school. Three feet back, but I'm getting it," she said.

Haley Huard, whose stroke is so smooth that even her misses look like they should have gone in, hit a pair of 3-pointers, as did Kyndall Keller and Lamprini Polymeni.

Sammy Fatkin, who hasn't played in a Montana uniform since December 2019, made her return and looked like she didn't miss a day. No one finishes at the basket with such ease and fluidity.

She went 5 for 8 to finish with 14 points.

"It was amazing to be out there with my teammates. I've always loved basketball. I've always had a passion for it," she said.

"It just makes me happy. I'm having fun again, and that's what it's about and the people I'm surrounded by. I'm just loving it again."

Freshman Lisa Kiefer had nine rebounds and four steals, and Katerina Tsineke looked Division I ready, which should be no surprise. She played her first two years at East Carolina. She finished with seven.

In a 32-minute game of mix-and-match, where all 11 available players saw time on both Maroon and Silver, the Lady Griz shot 37.0 percent overall and had 25 turnovers, both numbers that will improve.

"The scoring was good. I thought we spaced the ball," said Holsinger. "We looked a little tired, but we only had 11 players.

"It's been a long time since we've been able to play in front of people, so the girls were nervous, and that's great. That's why you do these things. Perfect opportunity."

With Maroon trailing 37-30 entering the fourth quarter, Holsinger loaded up what one might expect to be a starting unit on the team that was behind.

Behind Gfeller's eight points, Maroon shot 7 for 11 in the final period and outscored Silver 16-9 to complete the comeback. Or at least bring the two teams even at the final buzzer.

And with only 11 players, 32 minutes was enough.

Tsineke hit a 3-pointer with just under a minute remaining to make it 46-46, and Silver missed a pair of shots that could have won it.

"We're nowhere near where we need to be defensively. That was the biggest thing for me," said Holsinger. "It's not unusual but it's something we have to improve.

"We have to establish a culture of every day grinding out the defensive end and understanding what that feels like and just continuing to understand what it takes to be a great team."

Montana will get its first look at another opponent when the Lady Griz host Rocky Mountain in an exhibition game on Friday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m.