Austin GBB talks Friday’s Section 1AAA title rematch with Stewartville

Packers GBB will go for a second-straight section title win over the Tigers on Friday at 6 PM at Mayo Civic Arena.

(ABC 6 News) — A season ago, Austin Girls Basketball defeated Stewartville in the Section 1AAA Championship to go to State.

This time, the Packers will look to defend their title against a much more formidable Tigers unit. Stewartville is the heavy favorite going into Friday riding a 23-game winning streak.

This won’t be the first time both squads have played each other this season, both teams collided on January 14 at the Kasson-Mantorville Invitational, Stewartville emerging victorious 75-50.

Since that setback, the Packers have won 12 of their last 16 and have maintained a spot in MBN’s Top 20 rankings throughout.

In talking with ABC 6 Sports, Packers senior forward Olivia Walsh says Austin needs to work on its press break, “Their press really got to us, especially in the first half. We played a really rough game the night before against Mayo. We were still tired the next day, so hopefully, with fresh legs and a fresh mind we can get after them more than we did in the first game.”

“I feel like we kind of need to be more focused,” fellow senior forward Isabella Weidman added. “And I think we get too much in our head like with the mental thing. We got too much in our head and we let them get away with the lead and we just had to step it up.”

“It’s like that physical toughness that we always bring that mentality,” senior guard Cassidy Shute noted. “That was there the first time, we just have to clean up a few more things this time around and we’ll be great.”

Game time between the Packers and Tigers is set for 6 PM on Friday at Mayo Civic Arena.