Saxony Lutheran girls basketball team receives a welcome boost in win over Neelyville

Saxony Lutheran senior Raegan Wieser had been waiting months for Monday night's game to finally come, so she concluded her debut in vigorous fashion.

The 5-foot-11 Wieser, who tore her ACL just before the start of volleyball season and underwent surgery in August, contributed a little more than four minutes of playing time, including an electric 55 seconds late in the fourth quarter.

With her team comfortably ahead against Neelyville, Wieser drove along the baseline and sent the gymnasium into a roar when she scored a layup and was fouled with 1:45 remaining. She missed the free throw, but a teammate grabbed the rebound and dished the ball back inside to Wieser, who scored and drew another foul three seconds later.

The gymnasium again burst into excitement, as this time Wieser converted the conventional three-point play and sent the Crusaders to a 58-39 win over the Tigers.

"I'm just excited to be out there," said Wieser, who started and averaged 14.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in leading Saxony to a 29-1 record as a junior. "I'm just so happy to have this chance to be playing my senior year and to do it with my teammates. It's a great experience."

Saxony Lutheran's Ali Galemmo drives to the basket as Neelyville's Maggie Eaker defends during the fourth quarter of Monday's game.

Stymied by a knee brace, Wieser made her first appearance with 36 seconds left in the first quarter, eliciting a standing ovation from fans in attendance. She began practicing lightly at the beginning of the month but started getting into contact about a week and a half ago. The average return time for an ACL surgery can be anywhere from four to six months, depending on the severity of the injury.

On Monday, Wieser was approved by her surgeon to return to the court.

"We just tried to get her feet wet in there a little bit. I think she was more excited than I was," Crusaders coach Sam Sides said. "She did some good things. She was a little bit apprehensive, which is natural. In the fourth quarter when she went in there, she got a couple buckets, got knocked around a little bit, made a free throw.

"It's going to make us that much better when she gets back to full strength."

Although she was timid at first, Wieser returned for the final 2:43 of the third quarter and recorded a steal with 30 seconds remaining.

Saxony Lutheran's Raegan Wieser gets a hug from Brianna Mueller on her way to the bench after scoring against Neelyville during the fourth quarter Monday, Jan. 25, 2016 at Saxony Lutheran High School. Coach Sam Sides and Ashlynn Collier look on.Fred Lynch

Senior Brianna Mueller, who finished with a game-high 28 points to lead Saxony (17-2), said Wieser has been rehabbing and working relentlessly all season to return to the court.

"She came back in that second and third time, and she just looked like Raegan," Mueller said. "She just looked like smooth, flawless -- like she can do anything she wants. That's exactly what we need, and we are so happy to have her back."

Mueller knocked down a 3-pointer from the left corner to give the Crusaders an early 18-8 lead with 55 seconds remaining in the first quarter, but Shelby Moon drained a halfcourt shot at the buzzer to draw Neelyville (12-4) within five points, 18-13, heading into the second frame. After Christina Russom's free throw trimmed the Tigers' deficit to 25-24 with 1:10 left in the first half, Saxony went 3 of 4 from the free-throw line inside the final minute to extend its lead to 28-24 at the break.

Mueller drained a triple from the left corner to begin the third quarter, during which the Crusaders outscored Neelyville 13-4 and built a 41-28 lead heading into the final period.

"I thought we did a better job on defense because we went to more of a matchup zone there in the second half," Sides said. "They're hard to guard, but we did a better job of cutting off driving lanes and getting second opportunities on offensive rebounds."

Saxony Lutheran's Brianna Mueller drives to the basket as Neelyville's Jamie Fowler defends during the third quarter Monday, Jan. 25, 2016 at Saxony Lutheran High School.Fred Lynch

Ali Galemmo added 11 points for Saxony, which held the Tigers scoreless for a span of 6:14 during the third quarter. Sides was pleased with the way his team battled on the boards in the second half and was complimentary of his team's defense, particularly from senior guard Tess Daniel.

"Those kind of games are her kind of games, when they let you go on both ends and get after it a little bit," Sides said about Daniel. "She's just defensive. She's just so quick that she can cause havoc. She got her hands on a lot of basketballs. ... She had probably her best game of the year."

Moon, a senior, led the Tigers with 11 points. Neelyville encountered some foul trouble in the second half but had plenty of chances to score.

"We dug ourselves a hole and then got back in it. We came out flat in the third quarter, couldn't get anything going," Tigers coach Becky Hale said. "We just kind of fell apart."

Sides was expecting Wieser to return around this time but said he never determined an exact date. Wieser's quest to return to form continues to be a day-to-day process, and it's one her coach understands.

"It's going to take some time to get her game legs and get her used to that physical contact, get her up to game speed and that type of thing. It's going to be a process," Sides said. "My hope is that by district time, she's as close to where we need her to be as possible because she's a difference-maker. She can do a lot of things for us. She can handle the ball, shoot the ball, rebound. She can defend. She's an all-around player, so when she's on the floor, it helps us a whole bunch."

Saxony is riding a 13-game winning streak and is currently the third-ranked team in the Class 3 Missouri Basketball Coaches Association state rankings.

Much of the Crusaders' success has fallen into the hands of several key contributors on the bench, while a group of eight seniors have led the way.

"Of course it was devastating, so in our heads, we were saying that we had to be our best without Raegan because we did not know for sure if she was going to come back," Mueller said. "We had to be our best no matter what, and the fact that she is back is just such a plus. It's just such a blessing, and I just can't wait.

"She's going to do so many great things this season."

The experience hasn't been easy for Wieser, but it's come with a new sense of gratitude that will only make her stronger.

"For me to just be able to come in and at least try to help and contribute, it's huge," Wieser said. "I couldn't be more grateful to have the teammates I have because they're always there supporting. We know at every practice that we have to work hard because we know each game getting closer to districts is getting harder and harder, so we know we just have to put in the work.

"I'm so grateful just to have this chance and to play my best and put 100 percent out there because you never know when it can be taken away from you."

Neelyville 13 11 4 11 -- 39

Saxony 18 10 13 17 -- 58

NEELYVILLE (39) -- Shelby Moon 11, Jentri Worley 6, Maggie Eaker 5, J'Kayla Fowler 5, Christina Russom 4, Michaela Eakins 2, Alli Law 2, Ashley Oxley 2, Jamie Fowler 2. FG 15, FT 7-16, F 19. (3-pointers: Moon, Worley. Fouled out: J'Kayla Fowler, Jamie Fowler.)

SAXONY LUTHERAN (58) -- Brianna Mueller 28, Ali Galemmo 11, Grace Mirly 6, Maddie Brune 6, Raegan Wieser 5, Laurel Mueller 2, Addie Beussink 2, Tess Daniel 2, Ashlynn Collier 1. FG 20, FT 14-23, F 13. (3-pointers: Mueller 4. Fouled out: None.)