Friday, January 10, 2020

Tiger Girls Lose Heartbreaker in Braymer

Worth County's girls battled all night, but were no match for Jasmine Taylor, one of the top post players in the area, and the Braymer Bobcats as they fell 40-38 in overtime. The Tigers had their chances, but were done in by hacking and fouling, as three of their players fouled out at the end. They were shorthanded, playing without Jenna Smith (shoulder). Anna Gladstone was playing in her second game back from an ankle injury, but she was still favoring it some.

The Tigers were totally out of sync offensively as they fell behind 8-4 after one, as Braymer was knocking off the cutters and sagging people in to help out. Regan Allee shot the Tigers back into the game with seven points in the second, and Kristin New added four as the Tigers forced some turnovers and went ahead 17-12 at the break.

Taylor and the Bobcats moved ahead 20-18 at the start of the third as they started making a concerted effort to get it into Taylor. But despite Anna Gladstone picking up her third and fourth fouls, Worth County fought back in front as Kaylee McElvain hit a 3-pointer to put the Tigers back in front 27-24 after three. McElvain got a three-point play to start the fourth and Regan Allee added a free throw to make it 31-24 at the start of the fourth.

But the hacking and fouling mounted, and Worth County got into more foul trouble as Kaylee McElvain picked up her fourth. Hallie Russell hit a 3-pointer, Dallas Hall hit a baseline shot, and Kennedy Stone scored from inside to tie it up at 31 at the 3:40 mark. Braymer then broke the tie as Taylor kicked it out to Russell, but after Anna Gladstone missed a shot for the Tigers, Worth County got a stop and Gladstone got behind the defense and took a pass from Kristin New to tie it up again at 33. Russell missed a 15-footer with 55 seconds left, and Worth County worked it down for the last shot. But Anna missed a good look from the right wing at the buzzer, and the game went into overtime.

Braymer controlled the opening tap and Taylor Francis hit a scoop shot right off the bat to put the Bobcats in front. Worth County missed four different tries to tie it up, and then tried unsuccessfully to press Braymer as Kennedy Stone got behind the defense and got a putback to make it two possessions. Taylor's free throw made it 38-33 as Kristin New fouled out. Regan Allee's drive with 1:36 left cut it to 38-35, but then she and Anna Gladstone both fouled out trying to get the ball back as the lead grew to 39-35.

But then Merrideth Spiers, of all people, hit a 3-pointer after Jill Hardy had kept a possession alive with an offensive board; Hardy rebounded well that game and had seven. Dallas Hall hit one out of two to make it 40-38 with 20 seconds left, but Worth County missed three different tries to either tie or take the lead and Worth County put the Bobcats on the line with 4.6 seconds left. There was still time to rush it up the floor after the ensuing missed free throws, but Braymer stole the outlet pass to preserve the win.

Regan Allee had 14 for the Tigers. Kaylee McElvain had 9, Kristin New and Anna Gladstone 6 each, and Merrideth Spiers had 3. Anna Gladstone had 9 boards and Jill Hardy 7. Regan Allee had 6 steals.

The girls previously lost to Mount Ayr 68-51 as Gladstone sat out with her sprained ankle. Anna came back sooner than expected for the 43-37 Stanberry win; Regan Allee had 16, Gladstone had 12, and Kristin New had 10. During the game, Anna Gladstone passed April Miller (now Healy) for the all-time leading scorer in the third quarter. The game was close all the way and tied at 34-34 late in the fourth. But Regan Allee hit a 3-pointer with just over two minutes left to break the tie and Kristin New added two free throws. Sidney Mattson countered with a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left, but Worth County got the ball to Kristin New, who knocked down two free throws to keep the game at two possessions at 41-37. Regan Allee added two more free throws as the Tigers were 6 for 6 from the line in the final two minutes.

No comments: