Northeast Nodaway's girls had one of their best quarters of the year when they jumped out to a 12-2 first quarter lead against East Atchison in Fairfax. Then, they struggled through the second quarter and were outscored 20-1, trailing 22-13 at the half. Then, they came back and took the lead by the end of the third. And with the score tied with 1:13 left, Skyler Florea hit two clutch free throws to put the Bluejays up for good and they hung on for a 48-45 win. The win was the first time the Bluejays have ever beaten East Atchison as a franchise. The Wolves had been a franchise since the 2016-17 season.
Lizzie Schlueter scored the first two points of the game for the Wolves, but for the rest of the quarter, the Bluejays could do no wrong. Kynder Florea hit a 3-pointer, then got the ball to Blair Nelson on the left side to make it 5-2. Baylie Busby was stealing the ball at will in the first quarter, and she converted one to make it 7-2. Skyler Florea jumped a pass and converted it to free throws on the other end to make it 9-2. Kynder Florea hit Hayley Yost inside for two, and then Busby's free throw made it 12-2 after one.
But then the supporting cast of the Wolves came through, and everything they threw up was going in during the second quarter. They cut it to 12-11 before Busby hit a free throw to make it 13-11. But then a pair of 3-pointers, and and-one by Schlueter, and a putback at the buzzer put the Wolves up 22-13 at the half.
Northeast responded by extending their pressure and it got results as Busby got a steal and converted it into a three point play coming out of the half. But free throws by Schlueter restored the nine point margin for the Wolves. After that, NEN was finding success getting the ball into Yost and Skyler and Kynder Florea both chipped in. But Schlueter kept crashing the inside and pushed the Wolves back ahead 31-24 at the 3:12 mark.
But then Baylie Busby aired one out to Hadley DeFreece to make it 31-26 and then a costly foul by the Wolves, on the offensive end of the floor, put Blair Nelson on the line and she hit both free throws to make it 31-28. Baylie Busby hit one from the high post after Skyler Florea kicked one out, and then Hadley DeFreece hit Hayley Yost inside at the buzzer to put the Bluejays back in front 32-31.
Two weeks before, in a similar situation, Northeast came back against Albany only to falter in the fourth quarter. Having Sasha Deardorff back made all the difference in the world for the Bluejays, as they were able to keep key players rested for the closing stretch.
The Bluejays got a push after getting the ball in to Skyler Florea; four straight from her made it 39-36. But the Wolves knotted it back up again at 39 with a 3-pointer and then again at 41.
Schlueter got a steal with 1:54 left, only for Baylie Busby to steal the ball back. She took it in and missed both free throws with 1:45 left, only for her to get her own rebound and keep the possession alive. Northeast ran it down to 1:13 left, when Busby tried to force it into Yost. The ball caromed off Yost to Florea, who was hammered and made both free throws to put the Bluejays up for good at 43-41.
Northeast stayed in their press and forced a bad pass with 1:14 left. They were able to run the clock all the way down to 39 seconds before Busby was fouled and made one of two to make it 44-41. Schlueter missed two free throws with 30 seconds left and Busby made one of two with 21.8 seconds left. With all the blue shirts focused on Schlueter, she dished it off for a layup to cut it to 45-43 with 12 seconds left, but Busby countered with two free throws with 10 seconds left. The Wolves got the ball into Schlueter to cut it to 47-45, but Busby made one of two and Skyler Florea got the offensive board at the end.
Baylie Busby had 18 points. Skyler Florea had 10, Hayley Yost 8, Kynder Florea 6, Blair Nelson 4, and Hadley DeFreece 2.
Blair Nelson blocked two shots.
Baylie Busby went beast mode again, grabbing 19 boards, another career high after getting 18 the night before against Union Star. Skyler Florea had 8, Blair Nelson 3, Sasha Deardorff and Kynder Florea 2, and Hadley DeFreece 1.
Kynder Florea had 3 assists. Baylie Busby, Skyler Florea, and Hadley DeFreece had 2 while Mylee Wilmes, Sasha Deardorff, Hayley Yost, and Blair Nelson had 1.
Baylie Busby had 7 tips. Kynder Florea had 4, Skyler Florea 3, Hadley DeFreece 2, and Hayley Yost, Blair Nelson, and Sasha Deardorff 1.
Baylie Busby had 8 steals. Skyler Florea had 3, Blair Nelson and Hayley Yost had 2 and Kynder Florea 1.
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