On the hardwood, NP girls facing big test Saturday

NPHS girls’ basketball team enters the end of the regular season looking to build momentum. They faced Orono, one of the state’s top Class AAA teams Tuesday with it ending in a close 74-69 loss. NP heads to St. Louis Park Thursday, Feb. 13, 7 p.m., to take on the Orioles. Saturday, Feb. 15, 1 p.m., NP travels to Owatonna for an important section game against the Huskies.
NP coach Eric Specht said a win over the Huskies is important to possibly receiving a seed worthy of a home game in the section playoffs.
New Prague’s last two games are Feb. 18 against Benilde-St. Margaret’s in NP and Feb. 21 at Bloomington Jefferson.

Chaska 74, Trojans 62
A tough shooting night in the second half of the Feb. 7 game at NPHS sank NP’s hopes of a win over the Hawks.
Making 40% of their shots in the first half, the Trojans took a 38-35 lead to intermission. But NP’s shooting went frigid in the second half. The Trojans made only 25% of their shots.
Overall, the Trojans made 21 of 61 (34.4%) shots. They were six of 19 (31.6%) from beyond the three-point line.
New Prague’s Katie Boulanger led her team with 35 points in 33 minutes. The NP senior hit three of six three-pointers and was 10 of 19 from inside the three-point line. Boulanger grabbed seven rebounds.
Lily Schoenecker added a dozen points and five rebounds in 34 minutes for New Prague. Taylor Hemann finished the game with seven points, seven rebounds and five assists in 35 minutes. Ashlee Nelson scored four points. Maya Kilian added four points and a dozen rebounds in 28 minutes.

Trojans 68, Waconia 61
At Waconia Feb. 4 the Trojans grabbed more rebounds and took more shots, overcoming a slight deficit in shooting. Seven fewer turnovers helped keep the Trojans in the win column against the Wildcats, a team NP beat 71-68 Jan. 10 in New Prague.
NP senior Katie Boulanger paced the Trojans with 22 points. She also grabbed seven rebounds in only 23 minutes. Taylor Hemann added 16 points in 34 minutes on the court. Lily Schoenecker and Maya Kilian both added nine points. Kilian yanked down 11 rebounds, 10 on the defensive end of the floor. Hitting both of the three-pointers she took, New Prague’s Elle Neiderhiser finished with seven points. Courtney Nelson finished with four points and Ashlee Nelson added a point in the win.