GROTON – Groton held Warner to just three points in both the second and fourth quarters to help key a 48-23 non-conference girls’ basketball victory Tuesday night.

The result of the defense was a 13-0 surge in the second period that allowed the Tigers to build a 16-point halftime lead, and a 17-1 closing flurry that thwarted a potential Warner rally.

“Our kids are kind of buying into the team defense concept,” said Groton coach Matt Locke. “We’re playing 94 feet and that’s the way we’re going to do it, because we’re playing a few kids and I think we kind of tire some teams out.”

Groton led 10-7 early in the second quarter when the first scoring run gave them a double-digit lead heading to the half. The Monarchs started chipping away at the margin and eventually closed to 29-20 late in the third quarter.

However, the Tigers were able to stem the tide and regain control early in the final quarter when Brooke Gengerke started the final scoring run with back-to-back to perimeter shots, including a three-point field goal.

“Brooke is clutch. Brooke wants the ball in her hands,” Locke said. “She’s definitely not afraid of stepping up and taking a big shot. More importantly, she knows that she wants it to be a good shot.”

Gengerke finished with 10 points in the fourth quarter on the way to a team-leading 13 points. The senior credited her teammates for her offensive output.

“We’re always trying to look to get each other open, screening down,” Gengerke said. “They were able to get me open and I finally knocked down a shot. The first half I was struggling.”

Gengerke shot the ball with confidence with the game on the line to help her team secure the victory.

“Matt just kept telling me, ‘You’re fine, you’re fine, keep shooting.’ I was getting frustrated,” Gengerke said, “but I knew that if I was open, I had to take the shot.”

Gracie Traphagen contributed 12 points and hauled down eight rebounds for the Tigers, while Sydney Leicht added nine points, three assists and three steals.

Kamryn Anderson scored six points, and Kyra Marcuson and Kendyl Anderson had five apiece for the Monarchs, who lost their first game in four outings this season.

“We’ve been playing really solid up until tonight,” said Warner coach Tina Winter, “and we just kind of hit a bump in the road for the night.”

Both teams had a tough time handling the ball, but Groton was able to take advantage of the miscues throughout the contest while the Monarchs were not.

“Both teams actually caused a lot of turnovers going both ways,” Winter said. “They were just able to capitalize on them tonight and we just missed our opportunities off of them.”

In the end, it was Groton’s defense that kept Warner in check and allowed the Tigers to improve to 3-2 on the season.

“We’re a team that totally builds on our defense,” Gengerke said. “We always have a goal, before every game we say less than 40 points for the other team. We know that if our defense is doing good, we’re going to be able to hang in any game, even if our offense isn’t jiving like it should.”

WARNER (3-1): Kiah Koch 0 0-2 0, Kyra Marcuson 1 3-3 5, Ava Nilsson 1 1-3 3, Kendyl Anderson 2 0-0 5, Kamryn Anderson 3 0-0 6, Kyleigh Schopp 0 0-1 0, Jordyn Jensen 0 1-2 1, Sophia Hoeft 1 1-2 3. Totals 8 6-13 23.

GROTON (3-2): Brooke Gengerke 5 1-2 13, Gracie Traphagen 5 0-2 12, Sydney Leicht 4 0-0 9, Jerica Locke 0 1-2 1, Kennedy Hansen 3 0-0 7, Brooklyn Hansen 0 2-2 2, Laila Roberts 1 0-0 2, Faith Traphagen 1 0-1 2, Rylee Dunker 0 0-1 0. Totals 19 4-10 48.

Warner 5 8 20 23

Groton 824 31 48

3-point field goals – Kendyl Anderson; Gengerke 2, G. Traphagen 2, Leicht, K. Hansen. Total fouls – Warner 16; Groton 16. Rebounds – Groton 33 (G. Traphagen 8). Turnovers – Warner 21; Groton 18. Assists – Groton 7 (Leicht 3). Steals – Groton 13 (Leicht 3, Locke 3).