Powered by a 28-point performance from junior guard Danielle Gitzen and superb defense in the second half, Chanhassen overcame an early 10-point deficit to take down No. 6-ranked Chaska 59-53 on Saturday at Chanhassen High School.

After giving up 18 points to Chaska forward Ellie Thompson in the first half, Chanhassen limited her to just two in the second as it took control.

Gitzen, who averages 15.8 points per game, isn’t just a scorer. Chanhassen coach Angie Kissock said Gitzen plays a big role in the Storm's defense as well.

“We like the ball in her hands a lot of the time, but she’s also one of our strongest defensive players,” Kissock said.

Chaska and Thompson seemed to be in control for most of the first half, at one point building an 18-8 lead. Thompson, averaging 18.3 points per game,  looked unstoppable. The Hawks had the lead, but Gitzen quietly was matching Thompson point for point.

Gitzen said increased guard pressure was a critical part of stopping Thompson inside, “In the beginning of the game, we kind of let them set up and let them control the game,” Gitzen said.

Her coach agreed, “We talked about a lot of our guard pressure, and making sure we had guard pressure on the perimeter so that pass inside wasn’t as easy,” Kissock said.

With Thompson’s scoring production limited in the second, the Hawks couldn’t find point-producing alternatives.

In the final four minutes, Chanhassen finally shook off Chaska, outscoring the Hawks by a 12-4 margin.

Kissock said the message at halftime was all about the players enjoying the game, “The biggest thing tonight was having fun,” she said.

With the win, Chanhassen gets redemption on a Chaska team that defeated them 64-52 earlier this year. The Storm now move to 15-7 on the year, while the Hawks fall to 17-5.