Ashley Reynolds scored 15 points, all in the second half, as Worth County's girls picked up their second win of the year in an emotional senior night. It was the last home game for Haley Green and Jessica Borey; however, it was Reynolds who carried the Tigers in the second half and refused to let them lose against the Trojans and allow them to pick up their lone win of the season. Her teammates nickname her "Butch" and for good reason, as her physical play was the difference after a ragged first half by both teams.
Green scored on an easy layup after a drive down the right side from Jessica Borey and Borey drove into the high post for a 15-footer to make it 4-0 right off the bat. However, the Tigers were victimized by the hacking and fouling problems that had plagued them earlier in the year as Reynolds was sent to the bench with three fouls and Green with two. Nodaway-Holt fought back to tie at 4; however, the Tigers made a run with Green and Reynolds on the bench as Brooke Adams connected from inside and Jessica Borey scored off a Lauren Null steal off the Tiger press. Worth County was able to use their zone press to good effect against the slower Trojans all night.
Whitney Keith's free throw closed the gap to within 10-9 at the 7:09 mark of the second quarter; however, Brooke Gilland connected from the right wing and Jessica Borey scored a 3-pointer in transition as the Tigers pushed their lead back up to 15-9. But Worth County was fortunate to be ahead 17-13 at the break as they were constantly making bad passes in the period; however, Nodaway-Holt was not much better at taking care of the ball.
But with the game in doubt, Ashley Reynolds scored the first nine points of the third period for the Tigers; she scored on an inside shot, a free throw, a baseline jumper, and two rebound putbacks as the lead swelled to nine points several times in the period. Lauren Null's free throws with one minute left made it 30-21. But then, Nodaway-Holt, sensing their last chance to get a win slipping away, put on a press. Jodi Holmes closed out the third with a left wing shot, Alycia Keith opened the fourth with a 3-pointer, and Crystal Poppa hit two free throws to bring it back to within 30-28. But then, the Trojans got "Butched" again; they seemingly got a stop and a defensive board when Reynolds came out of nowhere to strip the rebounder and lay it in to make it 32-28. That was a four-point swing; instead of the game being tied, the Tigers were up by four. Holmes hit a 3-pointer, but Brooke Gilland hit a free throw and Haley Green scored on an inside shot after Jessica Borey drove the right baseline to make it 35-31.
Back came the Trojans again as Holmes was seemingly playing the role of Hector, stealing the ball at will and denying the Tigers chances to run the clock out. Holmes' two free throws and an inside shot from Hailey Poppa finally tied the game at 35 with 3:38 left. Brooke Gilland then traveled with the basketball and Nodaway-Holt came back with a chance to take the lead. But unlike other occasions when they had the lead late in the game, the Tigers did not roll over, and the Trojans got "Butched" again. Hailey Poppa drove down the right baseline with just over three minutes left, going in for an ill-fated layup that would have put the Trojans in front for the first time all game. But she traveled with the basketball, and Reynolds found a seam in the high post, connecting from 15 feet to put the Tigers back in front. Holmes missed two 3-pointers that would have put Nodaway-Holt up by one, and they never got another chance as Reynolds connected again from the same spot to make it 39-35 with 1:52 left.
At that point, even though it was still a game, the looks of defeat were apparent in Nodaway-Holts' eyes; after the teams exchanged turnovers, Haley Green jumped a pass and the Tigers ran a big chunk off the clock before Reynolds was fouled and went to the line for a 1-1. She missed, but Green got a key offensive rebound and Crystal Poppa shoved Reynolds in frustration with 40 seconds left and drew an intentional foul; Reynolds connected to give the Tigers a 41-35 lead. Jessica Borey hit another pair of free throws with 13 seconds left to round out the scoring for the Tigers.
The game was rounded out by an emotional senior night tribute in which seniors Haley Green and Jessica Borey got a group hug from all their teammates before going out onto the floor with their parents.
One of the key stats for the Tigers was in the rebounding department; they outrebounded Nodaway-Holt, an excellent rebounding team, 38-33 for the night. Besides Reynolds, Brooke Adams had 8, Jessica Borey had 7 despite her small 5'1" size, and Haley Green and Brooke Gilland have 5 each. Borey had six steals to lead the Tigers; Brooke Adams, Haley Green, and Lauren Null each had 3. Shooting had been a problem all year for the Tigers and they still missed their share; however, Reynolds shot 7 for 11 from the field Friday night as she followed Coach April Healy's advice to "get her feet set."
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