SHEBOYGAN — Heading into the fieldhouse at Sheboygan South on March 5 for the WIAA Division 3 girls basketball sectional semifinal it was slightly misting and foggy, difficult to see.
Yet early on, no fog – metaphorical or otherwise – could prevent anyone in attendance from knowing who the better team was as the top-seeded Oostburg Flying Dutchmen defeated the second-seeded Laconia Spartans 64-20.
As usual the Ketterhagen’s were all over the floor with sophomore Kinsley Ketterhagen creating havoc at the top of the Flying Dutchmen’s buzz zone and twin seniors Ady and Riley Ketterhagen chipping in as well.
“We always focus on our defensive intensity,” Riley said. “We had strong defense to start and it carried over to offense.”
It took several minutes for the Spartans to even get the ball into the arc past the 3-point line as Oostburg’s defense was suffocating.
Kinsley says its not by happenstance either, echoing her older sister.
“We all think the statement that defense wins championships is true so that’s what we focus on in practice,” Kinsley said.
Many believe that the Flying Dutchmen are the best girls basketball team in the state, regardless of division. That title isn’t one which can be actually determined but Oostburg plays defense like it.
“Our goal is to make it super duper hard to score,” Oostburg coach and the Ketterhagen sisters father Isaiah Ketterhagen said. “Get them to stop doing what they want and do what we want them to instead.”
Early in the game it was Kinsley using her long limbs and height to harangue and harass the Spartans offensive players, getting several steals which resulted in quick transition buckets.
And while she had her time in the spotlight, she knows its not possible without her teammates help.
“Its everyone talking behind me and switching, it’s not just me,” Kinsley said.
Isaiah agreed: “Macy (Bruggink) and Riley make Kinsley look good as well,” Isaiah said. “The way our defense works is everyone has a role and then if one person does their job everyone else has to scramble to fill the hole. Macy is really athletic, jumpy and quick and Kinsley is tall. When Kinsley needs a break Riley fills in, its that yin and yang thing.”
Watching Oostburg play defense is to witness controlled chaos. The Flying Dutchmen know what they’re doing and trying to create as much confusion for the opposing team as possible.
As talented as the Ketterhagen’s are, as evidenced by their combined 39 points, if it was just the three sisters flying around it wouldn’t work.
“We need more than just Ketterhagens,” Isaiah said. “We had Macy and Soraya (Benton) and Taylor (Brasser) feeding off that. Just need to have someone be a star in their role.”
When the fog began to lift heading back towards Oostburg following the win, the stars were shining bright in Sheboygan.
Almost as bright as the Flying Dutchmen’s defense which limited Laconia to just eight six points and two field goals in the second half.
Defense may or may not win championships but Oostburg’s defense has a golden hue at the moment.
Contact Tom Dombeck at 920-686-2965 or tdombeck@htrnews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Tom_Dombeck.
This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Oostburg girls basketball’s defense suffocating in win over Laconia
Reporting by Tom Dombeck, Sheboygan Press / Sheboygan Press
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