North Nodaway was on a roll going into Wednesday’s game with Rock Port in the semifinal round of the Fairfax Tournament. They had every reason to expect another win, as they had beaten Rock Port twice before. But this time, they ran into a completely different team as they crashed and burned, falling 48-31.
Rock Port coaching institution Jim Skillen whipped his troops into a frenzy for this game, ranting and raving as he prowled the sidelines holding his glasses. North Nodaway failed to match their intensity and dug themselves into an early hole and could not get out of it. They gave up 18 offensive boards in the first half and threw the ball away 12 times as they dug themselves into a 13-4 hole after one quarter. It didn’t help that Ashley Thompson picked up two quick fouls three minutes into the game and a third halfway through the second quarter and sat with foul trouble for much of the game. Rock Port outscored North Nodaway 27-26 when she was on the floor and 21-5 when she was on the bench with foul trouble.
Kandace Damgar did all she could for the Mustangs in the second quarter, getting seven of her team’s eight points in the period as North Nodaway clawed back to within 18-12 at one point. But once again, North Nodaway couldn’t buy a board down the stretch. Rock Port’s last five points came off second chances and Darius Skillen’s putback at the buzzer made it 23-12 at the break.
The game threatened to get out of hand as Kelcie Gaines began going to the rack at will and Skillen added a 3-pointer as Rock Port took a 32-14 lead early in the third. At that point, North Nodaway picked themselves off the floor and fought back, getting some scoring from Audrey Trimble as they fought back to within 37-27 early in the fourth.
But then a defensive lapse in which Alivia Baucom found herself all alone under the basket for a layup swung the game in Rock Port’s favor again and they scored nine free throws in the fourth as North Nodaway had to start fouling to get the ball back.
Kandace Damgar had 9 points to lead North Nodaway. Audrey Trimble had 8, Ashley Thompson and Kristin Herndon had 6 each, and Keagan O’Riley had 2.
Ashley Thompson and Kristin Herndon had 2 blocks each, while Audrey Trimble had 1.
Kristin Herndon had 7 boards to lead North Nodaway. Keagan O’Riley, Kandace Damgar, and Audrey Trimble had 4 each, Ashley Thompson 3, and Alisha Davison and Emma Hart 1 each.
Kristin Herndon, Keagan O’Riley, Audrey Trimble, and Kandace Damgar had 2 assists each. Ashley Thompson had 1.
Audrey Trimble had 5 tips for North Nodaway. Ashley Thompson, Kristin Herndon, and Kandace Damgar had 2 each.
Kandace Damgar had 3 steals, while Ashley Thompson and Audrey Trimble had 2 each.
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