The Shamrocks were 1-3 following a 37-15 loss to Worth County. But that game was a wakeup call for them, as they won their next two games and six out of their last eight to check into their home tournament with a 7-5 record. They need to win at least one to clinch their second straight winning season; if they run the table, they can get to 10 wins for the second straight year.
They got back on the winning track with a 19-12 win over East Harrison and a 27-15 win over Princeton, a team that had beaten them last year. They fell 30-23 to Gilman City in the Mercer Tournament, only to bounce back to beat Pleasant View 32-19 and Grundy County 28-26 to come out with a winning record. They beat Albany 24-16 before falling again to Gilman City 33-18.
The big difference between the Worth County game and Friday night’s game was their improved rebounding and their balanced scoring. Against Worth County, they were destroyed on the boards in their worst loss of the year; against Grundy, they got 38 boards and kept them off the offensive glass, only giving up eight second chance points and six offensive boards. Against Worth County, Jayleigh Robins got 13 of their 15 points; against Grundy, three different players, including Robins, got six or more, while two other players chipped in with critical baskets.
Grundy was swarming, pressing, and trapping throughout the game, even doing so after missed shots. But despite a horrific 10 turnovers in the first quarter, North Harrison somehow got in front and stayed there. Baily Briggs got loose against the press and Trendi Johnson got a pullup to put the Shamrocks ahead 4-2 at the 4:07 mark. Daya Alnutt, Grundy’s best player, tied it up off a steal, but despite all the swarming and pressing, North Harrison started to take control as Trendi slipped past Amber Wilson’s screen to hit a pullup and hit a free throw off another drive. Finally, seventh grader Jaci Davis, one of the littlest players on the team, grabbed a putback at the buzzer to put her team up 9-4. Somehow, despite all the pressure, North Harrison was in front.
Jayleigh Robins finally got untracked with a shot from the left wing after Halle Morgan grabbed an offensive board to keep a possession alive. Trendi scored after Baily Briggs got a steal and Jayleigh Robins hit Trendi on the baseline to make it 15-4 with 4:15 left. North Harrison was wreaking defensive havoc of their own, forcing a five seconds call at one point. Anna Fordyce threw up a prayer for Grundy that went in, but Baily Briggs got a putback to put North Harrison up 17-6 at the break.
The defensive play of Halle Morgan was instrumental in the game; she held Allnutt to four points in the half, faceguarding her so she couldn’t get the ball. She had seven steals for the night.
North Harrison continued to pull away in the third as Trendi Johnson hit another pullup and Robins scored off a Morgan steal. Fordyce threw up another prayer that went in for Grundy, but Robins got a putback to make it 23-8. The Shamrocks were ramping up the pressure, forcing another five seconds call.
Frustration set in for Grundy County and they started to commit some hard fouls uncalled by the officials. Finally, Robins got clocked in the nose and came out bleeding late in the third. That, and Aluntt’s putback at the third quarter swung the momentum briefly back in Grundy’s favor. They continued to chip away to start the fourth, getting back to within 23-13 before Robins came back in.
Finally, Baily Briggs got consecutive putbacks to temporarily restore order for North Harrison and put them up 27-13. But that was not a safe lead with a pressing team like Grundy on the other side, and Allnutt hit a 15-footer with hand in her face and added a putback to make it 27-17. But then Robins threw a perfect skip pass to one of the littlest players on the team, Amber Wilson, who got behind the defense as they were frantically trying to get the ball back. Her layup was nothing but net and provided the dagger for the Shamrocks with 1:42 left.
Trendi Johnson had 11 points for the Shamrocks. Baily Briggs had 8, Jayleigh Robins 6, and Jaci Davis and Amber Wilson 2 each.
Jayleigh Robins had one block for the Shamrocks.
Jayleigh Robins had 13 boards for North Harrison. Baily Briggs had 9, Halle Morgan 6, Trendi Johnson 4, Katelyn Briggs and Jaci Davis 2, and Amber Wilson 1.
Halle Morgan had 3 assists, while Jayleigh Robins had 2 and Baily Briggs and Trendi Johnson had 1.
Jayleigh Robins had a double double as she had 13 tips to go with her 13 boards. Trendi Johnson had 6, Halle Morgan 5, Amber Wilson 3, Baily Briggs and Katelyn Briggs 2, and Jaci Davis 1.
Halle Morgan had 7 steals for the Shamrocks. Baily Briggs had 5, Jayleigh Robins and Trendi Johnson 3, and Katelyn Briggs 2.
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