Worth County beat Tri-County 69-43 Thursday in one of the most chaotic games that they have played this year. The Tigers were seeded first in districts this year, but Tri-County came in with a record at 16-7 as opposed to 17-6 for Worth County. They came in totally unafraid of Worth County, who had to battle to earn this one.
Tri-County came in with a zone press, which they live and die with; they press after missed baskets and dare other teams to beat them in transition or from behind the arc. Everybody on their team can shoot 3’s, which means that they are difficult to guard.
Worth County rode the shooting of Kristin New and the passing of Megan Cassavaugh, who showed an ability to distribute the ball to the open person. First, Kristin New knocked one down from the top of the key; then, she got loose in transition after a tip and steal from Jessi Badell. Anna Gladstone added a free throw with 6:33 left in the first to make it 6-0.
Bailee Hoover countered with a backdoor look for the Mustangs, but Kristin New hit one from the right wing and got loose in transition and got a pass from Megan Cassavaugh after Kaylee McElvain got a quick outlet. Kristin New inbounded to Kaylee McElvain for three from the top of the key and Kaylee added a couple of free throws to make it 16-2 with 2:52 left.
Tri-County was having trouble getting into their offense at first, but then they got going as Makayla George scored twice and Destiny Gutshall went coast to coast to cut it to 16-8. Kristin New got one to Merrideth Spiers in transition and to Anna Gladstone in transition after a Spiers steal to make it 20-8 before Bailee Hoover cut it to 20-10 after one.
Hoover got the Mustangs’ deficit under double digits with a three to start the second quarter, but Worth County built it back up as Anna Gladstone hit Kaylee McElvain in transition, Anna got loose twice in transition, and Kaylee McElvain hit Kristin New in transition after Megan Cassavaugh got a steal to make it 31-15.
But Hoover’s triple brought Tri-County back to within 32-20, and then Anna Gladstone picked up back to back fouls with two minutes to spare in the half. With Anna on the bench, Worth County panicked and started throwing the ball away right and left against Tri-County’s relentless pressure; Anissa Williams scored off a steal and Carly Turner scored four straight to bring the Mustangs back to within 32-27.
It was a proverbial situation in which Worth County was saved by the bell; they were able to regroup and get back to doing what worked against Tri-County. After Anna Gladstone scored off a drive to start the third, Worth County went to its 1-3-1. At first, it looked like a disaster waiting to happen against the 3-point happy Mustangs; Hoover hit a 3-pointer and Makayla George got loose in transition for a pair of free throws to make it 34-32 with 6:18 left. But then Jessi Badell, who had gotten a critical offensive board and putback against North Harrison two years ago to clinch a winning season for Worth County in the same gym, got another one and hit two free throws to break the run. From there on out, Worth County was able to put pressure of their own on Tri-County and force bad passes and steals, swinging the game in their favor.
After a 1½ minute scoring drought from both teams, Kristin New got a steal and got it to Anna Gladstone, Tri-County missed a quick shot and Anna got one to Kristin New. Kristin’s tip and steal resulted in another layup for Anna Gladstone, prompting a Tri-County timeout.
Tanna Courter knocked one down in the high post for Tri-County and Makayla George connected to make it 42-36, but then Anna Gladstone hit Haley Hunt backdoor to make it 44-36. At that point, one of Tri-County’s players made the mistake of making a hard foul on Anna Gladstone. Anna hit her head on the floor and did a summersault, rolling her ankle in the process and came out with two minutes to go in the third. While she was nursing her ankle, Worth County held the fort and even added to their lead behind Jessi Badell’s free throw to make it 45-36 going into the fourth.
When Anna Gladstone came back in to start the fourth, she went totally bezerk, getting behind the defense twice for layups to get Worth County back into double digit territory at 49-36. At that point, the Mustangs were worn down; Anna Gladstone hit Kaylee McElvain backdoor for a layup and chance for a three-point play. She missed, as did Anna Gladstone twice on putback tries. But Merrideth Spiers grabbed Anna’s second miss and put it in to complete a four-point play. Anna Gladstone proceeded to score off a steal to make it 55-36 with 6:10 left.
This was one of several times Anna has gone bezerk against teams trying to push her around. Last year, against South Nodaway, they were pushing her around and the officials weren’t calling anything and Worth County trailed 10-3 at the half. But she went to the rim in the fourth quarter, made most of her free throws, and scored 10 in the period as Worth County came back to win 30-16. This year, against East Harrison, she scored 16 in the second quarter against another physical squad in Worth County’s 53-28 win.
The teams proceeded to trade blows and Worth County led 59-41 after Bailee Hoover’s free throw. But then Tri-County’s most physical player, Destiny Gutshall, picked up her fifth foul and Worth County went on a big run to close out the game. Kaylee McElvain hit two free throws off Gutshall’s fifth foul, then Jessi Badell got a tip and steal to Anna Gladstone, who threw back to Badell, who got on the line for a free throw. Anna Gladstone kicked out to Kristin New for three, then scored off a Megan Cassavaugh steal and one of her own to make it 69-41 before Hoover made a layup at the end.
Anna Gladstone had 25 points to lead the Tigers, 12 in the fourth quarter. Kristin New had 20, Kaylee McElvain 13, Merrideth Spiers and Jessi Badell 4, and Haley Hunt 3.
Kaylee McElvain had 2 blocks. Jessi Badell, Anna Gladstone, Merrideth Spiers, and Kristin New all had 1.
Anna Gladstone and Kaylee McElvain had 7 boards. Jessi Badell had 6, Kristin New and Megan Cassavaugh had 4, and Haley Hunt and Merrideth Spiers had 2.
Anna Gladstone and Kristin New had 8 assists each. Megan Cassavaugh had 6, Kaylee McElvain had 3, and Jessi Badell had 2.
Anna Gladstone and Kristin New had 7 tips. Jessi Badell had 4, Kaylee McElvain 2, and Haley Hunt and Megan Cassavaugh 1.
Kristin New had 8 steals for Worth County. Anna Gladstone had 6, Jessi Badell 5, Megan Cassavaugh 3, and Merrideth Spiers and Haley Hunt 1.
Worth County won its first-round game over Gilman City, which won only one game this year, 58-15.
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