Lady Marshals fall one point short in double overtime
Girls region semis, finals set for Friday, Saturday nights
By Justin McGill
Tribune-Courier Managing Editor
jmcgill@tribunecourier.com
DRAFFENVILLE – Statistically, the girls basketball teams from Marshall and Calloway counties couldn’t have been much closer Thursday night. With the 4th District Tournament Championship on the line, it took two overtime periods for the Lady Lakers to eke out a 78-77 victory.
After Ashley Smith scored the first basket of the game on a putback, Calloway reeled off eight straight to take command. Trailing 12-5 after the first quarter, the Lady Marshals turned up the defensive pressure and outscored the Lady Lakers 16-6 in the second quarter to take a 21-18 halftime lead.
After Hannah Ellis opened the second half with a layup, Calloway scored 13 of the next 15 points to take a six-point advantage. However, the Lady Marshals clawed their way back to a one-point lead by scoring 10 of the final 13 points of the frame.
The fourth quarter advanced in much the same fashion as the first three, with each team using short bursts of momentum to hold small advantages.
With the score tied 37-37 and less than seven minutes to go in regulation, Calloway’s Avree Fields drove the lane and collided with Marshall’s Karra Fisk and converted a layup in the process. One official whistled Fields for a charge, while another called a block on Fisk. After all three referees met for a few moments, a foul was assessed to each player, Fields’ basket was allowed and Marshall received possession of the ball in what Beth described as an odd decision.
“They didn’t know the rules,” Beth said. “But there were lots of other calls in the ball game, and you just have to take those and move on. There were some picky fouls called, and then some players got killed and there was no foul called. That’s just part of the game when there’s that much intensity.”
Over the next 1:42, MCHS rallied to a six-point lead with a 10-2 run highlighted by two steals by Margaret Thomas and a fifth foul on Calloway’s Kayla Cunningham.
“It was a game of spurts, and both of the other games we’d had with them had been like that,” Beth said. “
Over the next 2:35, however, Calloway scored 12 unanswered points to swing the six-point margin in the other direction.
With 1:14 remaining and MCHS down by five, Jessica Holder scored and was fouled by Fields, who joined Cunningham on the bench with her final foul. Smith fouled out 23 seconds later, and Karra Jones’ free throw put Calloway ahead by four with 51 seconds to go.
Marshall then recorded three steals and had chances to win the game with close shots and free throws, but the Lady Marshals were only able to tie the score and force overtime. Calloway’s Sam Butts also missed two free throws with 19 seconds left that would have given the Lady Lakers a late lead.
“Both teams had opportunities, but we just didn’t make the big shots when we needed to,” Beth said. “That’s something we have to work on. Our execution was good, but we missed the shots.”
Both teams held three-point leads in the first overtime, and Thomas fouled out with 41 seconds left, allowing Rachel Adams to convert a game-tying three-point play. After a Lady Marshal turnover, Calloway created a scoring opportunity for Meagan Starks, but Holder blocked her shot and sent it out of bounds off of a Calloway player, giving MCHS a last-second chance to win, but Jordan Gilland’s three-pointer from near halfcourt bounced off the back of the rim.
In the second overtime, Holder put MCHS ahead 69-68 with a free throw less than 30 seconds in, but Hannah Ellis fouled out with about three minutes left, and Adams converted another three-point play. Holder and Adams traded free throws on the next few possessions, and Calloway held a 75-73 lead with 32 seconds left after Starks missed two foul shots. Jordon Hall was fouled on the second miss and made one of two free throws, but Starks made up for her earliler misses by making two with 23 seconds left.
With 10 seconds remaining, Laken Tabor’s three-pointer rimmed out, Adams rebounded and made a free throw on the ensuing foul. Tabor then made a long three-pointer at the buzzer to account for the final score.
“Our effort was super,” Beth said. “We told them to hold their head high, and hopefully we can set up a rematch in a week and a half. That’s what the whole thing’s about. You can’t fault anyone with that kind of effort.”
Jessica Holder had a game-high 39 points and a co-game-high 14 rebounds, tield with Adams, who scored 34 for the Lady Lakers.
“Jessica played with more rhythm tonight, especially in the second half,” Beth said. “She went to the glass hard with the ball and made some moves, which is what we want her to do. We like to see that kind of hard work on the defensive side, too, and she did that on the boards. Our kids got her the ball in good shape, and that’s a compliment to them.”
Beth said he thinks his players will be motivated to continue improving their play in the 1st Region Tournament.
“We’ll take it one game at a time,” Beth said. “Calloway will, too, and hopefully, if we both play well enough to get there, we can play them again.”
The Lady Marshals opened region tournament play Tuesday against 2nd District champion Paducah Tilghman. Results were unavailable at press time.
The semifinal round will be held Friday night at Murray State University’s Regional Special Events Center, with the championship game set for 7 p.m. Saturday at RSEC.
Calloway County 78, Marshall County 77
(double overtime) Thursday @ Draffenville
TEAM STATS
Shooting
Overall: MC 42.1% (24/57)
CC 43.9% (25/57)
3-pointers: MC 23.1% (3/13) CC 23.1% (3/13)
Free throws: MC 74.3% (26/35)
CC 73.5% (25/34)
Turnovers MC 16
CC 15
Rebounds: MC 38 (Holder 14) CC 38 (Adams 14)
Assists: MC 16 (Fisk 6) CC 8 (Butts 4)
Blocks: MC 5 (Holder 5)
CC 3 (Adams 2)
Steals: MC 11 (Thomas 4)
CC 9 (Adams 3)
Fouls: MC 25
CC 22
Fouled out: MC - Thomaas, Ellis,
Smith
CC - Cunningham,
Butts, Fields
The Lady Marshals qualified for the district championship game with a 70-37 victory over Community Christian Academy last Tuesday.
Marshall County 70,
Community Christian 37
Last Tuesday @ Draffenville
Marshall County 22 13 22 13
Comm. Christian 11 6 15 5
TEAM STATS
Shooting
Overall: MC 39.3% (24/61)
CC 26.7% (12/45)
3-pointers: MC 27.8% (5/18) CC 21.4% (3/14)
Free throws: MC 68.0% (17/25)
CC 55.6% (10/18)
Turnovers MC 9
CC 18
Rebounds: MC 46 (Holder 14) CC 33 (Fort 8)
Assists: MC 15 (Thomas 8) CC 8 (C. McMullen 5)
Blocks: MC 5 (Holder 4)
CC 2 (Fort 2)
Steals: MC 13 (Thomas 3)
CC 6 (Fort 2)
Fouls: MC 14
CC 16
Fouled out: MC - none
CC - none
