Lacy Riley hit some key shots that lifted North Nodaway past Union Star 36-32 and broke a seven game losing strike and a stretch of losing 13 out of 14. The Mustangs had trouble putting points on the board during that stretch, only getting over 30 points twice. Normally, they have had different players step up each night, but they have struggled to have multiple players get on the board. That changed against the Trojans as Riley and Jackie Wray both hit double figures and Addalea Barcus came close and had one of the best rebounding efforts of her career. The win came despite the Mustangs playing without Mya Hansen and having to go with six players.
It looked like a cakewalk after Lacy Riley started the game with a three point play, Addalea Barcus hit from the left wing after a pass from Lily Blane, and Lily hit a guarded three after an inbounds pass from Riley to make it 8-2 after one. Bailey Steeby knocked one down from the high post, but Addalea Barcus scored from the high post and then hit Jackie Wray inside to make it 12-4.
But slumps have a way of dying hard, and Union Star has been putting more points on the board in recent games, putting up 30 or more in their previous seven, of which they won two. They put on a clinic as Eliza Bell scored six straight, and then Kenzie Pettijohn hit MaKenna Grace on a backdoor look, Grace Whorton on the baseline, and Kayla Gillip on a buzzer beating three to put the Trojans up 16-12 at the half.
It looked like the turnover situation would be the difference in the game as the Mustangs had turned it over 13 times against the swarming Trojan defense by the half while only forcing six. They fell further behind early in the third when Grace Whorton hit a 3-pointer to make it 19-14. But somehow, despite all the extra possessions for Union Star, the Mustangs were still very much in it after Jackie Wray scored six straight to give the lead back to the Mustangs with 3:35 left in the third.
Union Star looked to regain control after Pettijohn got a putback and Steeby hit from the high post to put the Trojans back in front 25-22 with 1:56 left in the third. But everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong in the next several minutes. First, Pettijohn knocked over a Mustang fighting for a rebound, getting her third foul. Then, the Trojans failed to convert a sixth chance possession at the end of the third quarter, leaving the Mustangs still within three.
The turnover situation had mounted in Union Star's favor, as North Nodaway had turned it over 18 times to just seven for the Trojans. And Addalea Barcus picked up her fourth foul as she clotheslined Pettijohn at the start of the fourth quarter. But even the things that went Union Star's way backfired. On the next play, Mustang coach Sami Jackson got a technical foul protesting a non-call after Grace Whorton stole the ball out of the high post, only for Union Star to miss both free throw tries. It was their fourth straight missed free throw during that stretch. Then, all of a sudden, the officials started calling the game much tighter.
Pettijohn picked up her fourth foul and sat until the 1:55 mark and Steeby picked up her third for the Trojans. By the 5:43 mark, the Mustangs were already in the bonus and Jackie Wray had converted a putback to make it 25-24. Union Star got in the bonus soon afterwards.
Eliza Bell hit a free throw to give Union Star a two point cushion with 5:22 left, only for Jackie Wray to get a pass from Trynzlee Ebrecht to tie it at 26. Ember Workman hit two free throws to give the Trojans the lead back at 28-26 with 4:37 left, only for Lacy Riley to tie it right back up again at 28.
North Nodaway had a chance to take the lead, but Riley's 3-pointer went in and out, only for Union Star to travel after grabbing the defensive board with 1:55 left. Pettijohn came back in, but given a second chance, Lacy Riley converted another 3-point try to put the Mustangs up 31-28 with 1:43 left after some good ball movement.
On the ensuing possession, nobody wanted the ball, and three different Trojans butterfingered it out of bounds. Lily Blane hit from the right wing after a pass from Taccoa Moyer with 1:28 to make it two possessions at 33-28. Both Moyer and Trynzlee Ebrecht were pressed into extended minutes with the Mustangs down to six players and both played their best games of the year so far despite not getting into the scoring column.
Pettijohn's free throws cut it to 33-30, and the Trojans put on their full court press. But North Nodaway broke the press and the Trojans fouled Lacy Riley. She made one of two with 41.4 seconds left to make it 34-30. Pettijohn missed a 3-pointer and the Trojans put Addalea Barcus on the line with 27 seconds, and she made both free throws to make it 36-30.
Kenzie Pettijohn drove down the left side of the lane to set up Bailey Steeby on the right side to cut it to 36-32 with 11 seconds left, but North Nodaway was able to hold on to the ball in the backcourt until 1.8 seconds were left and they were able to call a timeout ahead of a ten seconds violation. The Mustangs held the ball for the final 1.8 seconds for the win.
Jackie Wray had 12 points. Lacy Riley had 11, Addalea Barcus 8, and Lily Blane 5.
Trynzlee Ebrecht, Taccoa Moyer, Addalea Barcus, and Jackie Wray had 1 block each.
Addalea Barcus had 11 boards. Lacy Riley had 10, Jackie Wray 7, Taccoa Moyer 4 (career high), Lily Blane 4, and Trynzlee Ebrecht 2.
Lacy Riley had 4 assists. Lily Blane had 3, Addalea Barcus 2, and Jackie Wray, Trynzlee Ebrecht, and Taccoa Moyer 1 each.
Lacy Riley had 5 tips. Lily Blane had 4, Trynzlee Ebrecht and Jackie Wray 2, and Addalea Barcus 1.
Lily Blane had 2 steals. Lacy Riley and Addalea Barcus had 1.
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