Worth County’s girls dropped a close game to Christian 37-34 Friday as they dug themselves into a hole, climbed out of it, but couldn’t complete the comeback in St. Joseph.
Previously, following a 39-21 loss to Northeast Nodaway, Worth County had a running clock loss to North Andrew. Frustrated coach Tiffany Bliley said in the Maryville Forum that they had beaten themselves that game. It looked to be the same thing on paper for the Christian game, as the Lions had raced out to a good start for the season, winning the Platte Valley Invitational and returning everyone from last year’s team that won the GRC West and successfully invaded Milan and challenged Platte Valley.
But the Lions were in a slump, having dropped games to LeBlond and King City and were playing Friday’s game without Lexi McDaniel, who was not dressed out for Friday’s game. McDaniel was the heart and soul of the Lion squad last year with a high basketball IQ along with having as many as 36 in a game despite being a freshman.
The Lions were not the same team without McDaniel, and it showed right off the bat as Worth County jumped on them as Hailey Adwell hit two free throws and scored off an inside shot and Paige Sherer jumped a pass as the Tigers raced out to a 6-0 lead.
But Christian got on their feet and the turnovers started mounting for Worth County, with the Tigers committing 8 for the first period. The Lions still had some horses on the floor, and Ella Bowman took over the next portion of the game, scoring at will during a 18-1 Lion run that put them up 18-7 early in the second. It didn’t help that Abbi Brown went down with an injury for Worth County and did not return.
Just as it looked like Christian would replicate North Andrew’s effort against Worth County the game before, the Tigers got an inside shot from Ali Brown and then Hailey Adwell tipped an errant Lion pass to herself and converted on the other end to stop the bleeding. Brown had 8 points in the second quarter and Worth County got the deficit down to 22-17 by half.
The Lion lead grew to 26-17 early in the third, but then Maddi Blevins, their most physical player, picked up her third and fourth fouls in quick succession and both Bowman and Jaci Jorgenson, Christian’s two best scoring threats Friday, were shaken up in the period as the battle turned physical. Worth County fought back as Hailey Adwell hit another shot and Kynah Steele scored seven straight. By the end of the third, Blevins had fouled out and Steele carried the Tigers on her back as they came back to tie 26-26 after three.
Hailey Adwell hit two free throws after a steal and then added a 3-pointer to put the Tigers in front 31-26 to start the fourth. But just as it looked like Adwell would take over and lead the Tigers to victory, she went down with an injury and the momentum swung back towards the Lions. Jaci Jorgenson took over for the Lions, who held the Tigers scoreless until less than a minute was left. By that time, the damage was done and the Lions were in control again and Jorgenson’s free throws in the closing seconds put them up 37-32 before Ali Brown hit a layup for the Tigers as time expired.
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