Friday, December 13, 2024

Jaxcynn Hansel Goes Beast Mode Late in Third to Push Shamrocks Past Lions

Jaxcynn Hansel went beast mode late in the third quarter Friday, picking up five points and five boards in the last 3:03 of the period, fueling a 9-0 run that put North Harrison up 27-23 to start the fourth quarter. The Shamrocks then held off one last Lion charge and pulled away to win 37-29 over St. Joseph Christian to get their fourth win of the year. It was their first ever win over the Lions.

The Shamrocks somehow won despite being outrebounded 46-34 and missing 14 free throws throughout the night. They did improve on the giveaway/takeaway battle, turning it over 16 times but forcing 19 Lion turnovers for the night. 

Maddie Glise connected early for the Lions to make it 2-0, but Hali Smith had the hot hand for the Shamrocks early. After Hansel had knocked a ball off a Lion out of bounds, Smith slashed and scored to tie it. An early sign that it might be the Shamrocks' night was when Ava Rinehart stepped over the inbounds line during an inbounds play on the next trip down; somehow, the officials didn't see it and Rinehart fed Hansel for two. Rinehart would go on to have 4 assists in the quarter.

Costly fouls proved to be Christian's downfall, starting with their best post player, Annie Herschberger, picking up her second foul early. With her on the bench, Ava Rinehart drove and set up a 3-pointer from Smith and then Hali slashed to the rim again. Gracie Young, playing one of her best games as a Shamrock and grabbing five boards late in the first and early in the second, grabbed an offensive board and put it in to make it 11-2 at the 3:20 mark of the first.

Joy Wallick, named to the all-PVI squad earlier this year for the Lions, got them back in it with a drive and then a good skip pass from Harper Sowers to cut it to 11-5 after one. Sowers connected from the wing to cut it to 13-9 before North Harrison pushed it back up to nine. Ava Rinehart got on the board from three and Ava hit Hali Smith on the baseline to make it 18-9.

But a momentum shifting play happened right at the end of the first half. Olivia Pena got a defensive board for Christian, pushed it ahead to Maddie Glise; nobody picked her up on defense and she pulled up and hit a 3-pointer to cut it to 18-12 at the half.

The Lions switched to a man to man to start the second half and got immediate results as they started making use of their huge rebounding advantage, the aggressive play of Glise, who got seven steals for the night, and Herschberger getting untracked in the post. By the time the dust had settled, the Lions seemed to be in control and totally outplaying the Shamrocks, who were playing the second of back to back nights while the Lions had last played the Tuesday before. 

But all of a sudden, Jaxcynn Hansel went beast mode and grabbed an offensive board, making one of two to break the run at the 3:03 mark. With North Harrison getting stops on defense and Hansel taking charge on the boards, they finally started coming back. Another sign that it might be the Shamrocks' night came at the 1:20 mark, when Addison Milligan passed it to Hali Smith, who drove and flung up a prayer that went in to cut it to two. Hansel then cleaned up after Lani Briggs got a tip and steal, then got loose in transition as Lani Briggs got her the ball. Ava Rinehart fed Lani Briggs at the third quarter and by the time the dust had settled, North Harrison was in front 27-23.

The Lions made a push to start the fourth quarter as Wallick hit a free throw and then hit Sowers for a runner that cut it to 29-26. But then two costly fouls hurt the Lions down the stretch. In a span of less than a minute, their two most physical players, Sowers and Glise, picked up their fifth fouls and sat down. With those two on the bench, the Lions got one tip and no steals for the final five minutes. 

Meanwhile, Ava Rinehart got untracked and went coast to coast to make it a two possession game at 31-26 and then scored again to make it 33-26 when Addison Milligan hit her with a pass and she drove to the rim. Wallick hit a free throw to make it 33-27 with 1:19 left, but then the lid finally started to come off at the free throw line as Lani Briggs and Hali Smith each hit one to make it 35-27 with 33 seconds left. Wallick drove and scored with 24 seconds left, but then Lani Briggs hit two free throws with 14 seconds left to make it three possessions and ice the game.

Hali Smith had 14 points for the Shamrocks. Jaxcynn Hansel and Ava Rinehart had 7, Lani Briggs 5, and Gracie Young 4. 

Hali Smith had 2 blocks and Ava Rinehart 1.

Hali Smith had 10 boards to complete the double double. Jaxcynn Hansel had 8, Gracie Young and Addison Milligan 5 each, Ava Rinehart 3, Lani Briggs 2, and Bentley Glenn 1.

Ava Rinehart had 6 assists, Addison Milligan and Jaxcynn Hansel 2 each, and Gracie Young and Lani Briggs 1.

Ava Rinehart and Hali Smith had 3 tips. Jaxcynn Hansel and Addison Milligan had 2, and Gracie Young and Lani Briggs had 1.

Ava Rinehart had 4 steals. Hali Smith and Addison Milligan had 3 each, and Lani Briggs and Jaxcynn Hansel had 2 each. 

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