Florence senior Kamdan Johnson (3) sends a pass to wide-open teammate Bryn Sullivan (20) on Tuesday in Florence, Wis. against Gresham Community. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

FLORENCE, Wis. — It’s often said that defense wins championships.

On Tuesday, the Florence girls varsity team put that adage to the test as it opened the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 5 regional round at home against Gresham Community.

The LadyCats (15-9, 4-4) swarmed the Lady Wildcats (11-12, 5-1) from the opening tip and pulled away late for a 52-23 win.

“We had a talk after the game, ‘These games, especially these tournament games are marathons, they’re not just sprints,'” Florence head coach Kris Johnson said. “We would have liked to start better but it’s about how you respond when things aren’t going your way. We’ve just got to stick to the plan and bust our tails on defense.Offensively, we’ve got to value the ball more. We turned it over more than we should have.

“Things got hard and they stuck with it.”

Entering the game, the LadyCats were without sophomore Naomi Millan, who got injured at the end of Thursday’s game against Crandon.

“She’s been a big part of our rotation,” coach Johnson said. “She worked herself into a starting role at guard.

“She’s super active when we’re playing fast and pressing. The plan and the hope is to have her close to 100% for Friday.

“She’s been a great player for us on both ends of the floor.”

Entering the game, coach Johnson knew who the Lady Wildcats were going to look to on offense and he had a plan.

“Their guard, Lexi Baddmoccosin-Barnes, was their best player,” coach Johnson said. “She’s their leading scorer and main shooter, so we had a lot of our defensive attention on her. Kelsi Chrisman started on her, she got into foul trouble and then Bryn Sullivan guarded her.

“Sullivan did a really good job on her in the second half.”

Chrisman and Sullivan held Baddmoccosin-Barnes to 10 points in the game.

Both teams started slow and four minutes into the game, Florence senior Kamdan Johnson broke the scoreless tie with a layup.

She added three more points in a minute of action and the LadyCats opened up a 5-0 advantage.

Gresham cut the lead to three points, but it wouldn’t get closer in the first half. Johnson and CeCe Mills each hit a 3-pointer down the stretch and Florence took a 20-12 advantage into halftime.

While freshman Miley VanDenHeuvel didn’t tally a point in the first frame, she made her presence felt on the defensive end, including blocking a shot late in the half.

“It’s huge,” coach Johnson said. “Scoring is a big part of the game, but it’s not the only part. People don’t realize the effort on defense and how containing the other team’s scorers really has an impact on the game. Miley’s shot wasn’t falling, but she still impacted the game. On the back of our press, she had a couple of steals, some big rebounds and a couple of blocks.”

During the break, coach Johnson adjusted his defensive strategy and the LadyCats took control.

“We made a change defensively, we went to a straight-man defense,” coach Johnson said. “Emily Jensen caught a couple of lobs over the top, so we told Miley VanDenHeuvel to play behind her, don’t front her anymore. Because, Miley is quick enough that she can keep her incheck.

“We just kind of wore on them playing fast.”

Florence went on a 15-1 run in the first eight minutes of the second half, opening up a 35-13 advantage. It was over from there.

Johnson scored 16 points in the second half while Chrisman pitched in eight propelling the LadyCats to the win.

Johnson led all scorers in the contest with 25 points.

Florence also received contributions from Mills (11 points), VanDenHeuvel (1 points), Chrisman (10 points), Abby Novak (1 point) and Sullivan (4 points).

The LadyCats turn their attention to the Regional semifinals on Friday against Gillett. They will face off in Gillett, Wis., at 7 p.m.

“That’s where we wanted to be,” coach Johnson said. “We played them at their place earlier in the season and they beat us by eight or nine. I don’t feel like we were at full strength when we played there. We’ve been playing good lately, and if we stick to the grind on defense and make good offensive decisions, I think we’ve got a shot.”

Although every game could mean the end of its season, Florence is taking things in stride.

“I don’t want to make it any bigger, more stressful than it is,” coach Johnson said. “I want them, at the end of the day, to compete, have fun and be there for each other when things get tough. They know that, especially the seniors, if we don’t win it’s over.”

LADY BADGERS 68, VIKINGS 36

NIAGARA, Wis. — Over the course of the regular season, the Niagara girls varsity basketball team has been a work in progress.

On Tuesday, the Lady Badgers (16-9, 9-7) put everything together in front of their home fans and rolled to a 68-36 win over Gibraltar (4-20, 1-15) in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 5 Regionals.

“I am extremely happy with the way the girls have developed over our season,” Niagara head coach Karl Lamoreaux said. “Tonight was a continuation of the last month, playing hard, protecting the ball, executing on both offense and defense. I am so happy with the team we are at this point. Tonight, we had balanced scoring; everyone did their part to be successful, and we get to play again on Friday!”

Known for their 3-point shooting, the Lady Badgers made just two in the first half. However, they were locked in from the charity stripe, going 10 for 13 in the opening 18 minutes.

Senior Mallory Sanicki and junior Alivia Kleikamp led Niagara with nine points apiece in the first. Sydney Swanson and Marley Jones each added six, and the Lady Badgers led 35-18 at halftime.

Niagara connected on five 3-pointers in the second half. Mallory Sanicki made three, while Bristol Sanicki connected on two.

The Lady Badgers outscored the Vikings, 33-18, in the final 18 minutes to secure the postseason victory. They were 17-for-28 from the free-throw line.

Mallory Sanicki led all scorers in the contest with 19 points. She made four 3-pointers.

Niagara also received contributions from Elesia Sweig (2 points), Bristol Sanicki (6 points), Jones (9 points), Peyton Neuens-Allred (9 points), Swanson (8 points), Kleikamp (13 points) and Lexi Johnston (2 points).

The Lady Badgers are back in action on Friday against No. 4-seed Oneida Nation in Oneida, Wis. at 7 p.m.

LADY TROJANS 58, JETS 37

CRYSTAL FALLS — It was senior night on Tuesday in Crystal Falls for the Forest Park girls varsity basketball team.

While that could be a letdown for some teams, the Lady Trojans (11-11, 4-4) took everything in stride. After honoring Kaidince Woollard and Dalaney Wagner, they dismantled North Central (2-18, 0-7) for a 58-37 Skyline Central Conference-Small School win.

“Great win for us on senior night,” FP head coach Kim Bjork said. “Our girls have been working hard, learning new things every practice, and tonight, we executed our zone offense well. We had good inside-out looks. It was a good end to our regular season.”

The Lady Trojans opened a five-point advantage after the first, and by halftime, the lead ballooned to 14 points, 29-15.

Forest Park outscored the Jets 29-22 in the final two quarters to secure the win.

Junior Elsie Williams led all scorers in the contest with 20 points. She also recorded five assists, eight rebounds and four steals.

The Lady Trojans also received contributions from Harper Anderson (6 points, 2 assists, 3 rebounds), Kaidince Woollard (1 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals), Audrey Williams (16 points, 2 assists, 1 block, 4 rebounds, 5 steals), Evie Anderson (2 rebounds), Lily Sarder (3 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound), Khali Woollard (1 steal), Aubrey Waara-Shamion (7 points, 1 assist, 5 rebounds).

Dalyn Otradovec led North Central with 13 points. She also tallied seven rebounds.

The Jets received contributions from Kate Linder (10 points, 3 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal), Addison Otradovec (3 points, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 6 rebounds, 4 steals), Maycee Murray (5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal), Autumn Triest (4 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals) and Natalie Willa (2 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal).

North Central wraps up its regular season schedule today against Rapid River. Forest Park and the Jets meet again on Monday in the MHSAA Division 4 District 99 first round in Crystal Falls at 6 p.m.

FLIVVERS 52, NORDICS 43

FELCH TOWNSHIP — Entering the final week of its regular season schedule, the Kingsford girls varsity basketball team was looking for momentum ahead of the postseason.

The Flivvers (10-10, 4-4) took a step in the right direction on Tuesday as they went into the Carl F. Lemin Gymnasium and dispatched North Dickinson (14-6, 7-1), 52-43.

“Good effort for us tonight, but we shot poorly in the first quarter, and Kingsford came out blazing, hitting three 3’s, and they moved the ball very well to get those nice looks at the basket,” ND head coach Kirk Mattson said. “First-quarter shooting and untimely turnovers throughout the game was the book on us tonight.”

The Nordics have to wait until Wednesday to bounce back when they face the winner of Monday’s MHSAA Division 4 District 99 first-round matchup between Stephenson and Carney-Nadeau.

Kingsford freshman Aubrie Moore was lights out in the first quarter. She buried three 3-pointers, and the Flivvers fed off it. Alyvia Kowalski added four points, while Cassie Olson pitched in two. They held a 15-5 advantage after eight minutes. Aspen Anderson scored all five of the Nordics’ points in the quarter.

Freshman Lauren Jungwirth righted the ship for North Dickinson in the second quarter, recording eight points. Alyson Steinbrecher added three and Anderson pitched in two. The Nordics scored 13 points in the frame while holding Kingsford to nine.

The Flivvers led 24-18 at halftime.

Kingsford senior Anna Bortolini and Olson each scored four points in the third, while Moore added a 3-pointer. It outpaced North Dickinson 11-10 in the frame.

Both teams turned up the pace in the fourth. Kingsford outscored the Nordics by two points and held on for the win.

Moore led all scorers with 20 points.

Kingsford also received contributions from Abby Przeslakowski (7 points), Kowalski (6 points), Bortolini (11 points) and Olson (8 points).

North Dickinson received offensive contributions from Raina Ledzian (12 points), Steinbrecher (7 points), Jungwirth (15 points), Anderson (7 points) and Aunika Lindholm (2 points).

The Flivvers close the regular season at home today against Westwood.

COPPER KINGS 73, MOUNTAINEERS 46

CALUMET — Senior Macy Linsenbigler scored a game-high 24 points for the Iron Mountain girls varsity basketball team on Tuesday in Calumet.

However, it wasn’t enough to unseat the Copper Kings (16-5, 9-1), who ultimately sent the Mountaineers (6-16, 1-11) home with a 73-46 West PAC loss.

Linsenbigler scored six points for Iron Mountain in the first quarter. However, the Mountaineers only scored six in the frame. Calumet started hot and held a 29-6 advantage after eight minutes.

Alysia Wood and Gerilis Sampoll-Torres got in on the scoring in the second.

They both scored three points while Linsenbigler added seven. Iron Mountain held the Copper Kings to 16 points in the frame and it entered halftime trailing 45-20.

The Mountaineers came out of halftime with a new-found confidence.

They kept Calumet to nine points in the third, and piled up 12 points of their own.

However, the Copper Kings rebounded with a 19-point fourth to secure the win.

Linsenbigler went 6-for-9 from the charity stripe.

Iron Mountain also received contributions from Bella Pickett (5 points), Ava Marttila (3 points), Wood (6 points), Monroe Vedin (3 points) and Sampoll-Torres (5 points).

The Mountaineers regular season schedule is complete. They have a bye in the MHSAA Division 3 District 66 first round.

They return to play at home on Wednesday against the winner of Monday’s matchup between Bark River-Harris and Manistique.