Junior High Girls Defeat Lady Buffs
The junior high girls basketball teams earned two more wins in Atwood on Thursday, December 8. The A-Team trailed most of the way, but earned an exciting come-from behind victory over the Rawlins County Lady Buffs, 30-27. The B-Team Lady Indians defeated Rawlins County 28-19.
Emma Johnson scored the opening basket of the contest, but Rawlins County's (RC) Kiersytn Domsch answered with a right-wing jumper. Abigail Singhateh followed with a driving score. Post baskets by Sadie Sramek and Singhateh placed the Lady Indians at a 6-point deficit just midway through the first period. The scoring slowed in the latter portion of the first quarter. The score stood at 3-10 at the break after a free-throw by Mia Morrow and a transition basket by RC's Audrey Moore.
The Lady Indians fared better in the second period. Emma Johnson's assist set up three quick scores by the Lady Indians in transition. Talexa Weeter scored the first two and Mia Morrow the third. With 3:26 left in the first half, and leading 9-10, RC used their second time-out to visit about transition defense. After the discussion, Domsch swished a trey from the left-wing in transition. Morrow followed with a fast-break basket on another Johnson assist. The Lady Buffs extended the margin back to four points (11-15) on an out-of-bounds play basket by Singhateh. The Lady Indians added three free-throws, two by Johnson and one by Weeter, before halftime. The Lady Indians trailed 13-17 at the halftime break.
Talexa Weeter's offensive rebound score pulled the Lady Indians within two early in the third period. RC responded with a Domsch score after a Lady Indian turnover, a Singhateh basket on well-executed press offense, and a Singhaten stick-back bucket. With 1:35 left in the third period, St. Francis called time-out trailing 15-23. The quarter closed after a basket by Emma Johnson in the lane, and a left-elbow shot by Kattie Wurm (assist Johnson). St. Francis still trailed 19-23.
Early in the final period, Jordyn Faulkender added a free-throw and Mia Morrow scored from the baseline. With 3:48 left, RC called time-out leading by a single point (22-23). Seconds later, Talexa Weeter's free-throw tied the game. St. Francis used a time-out at 2:11, and returned to the floor with increased vigor. Morrow's driving score at 1:55 placed the Lady Indians in the lead for the first time since the game's opening moments. Sramek added a free-throw for RC at 1:37. At 1:10, Emma Johnson's assist found Weeter open on a fast-break (27-24). Domsch answered with a left-wing trey at 1:01. Morrow added another lay-up at the opposite end returning the lead to the Lady Indians (29-27). Good defensive pressure by the Lady Indians forced a RC time-out at 43 seconds when the Lady Buffs had difficulty advancing the ball up the court. Morrow's free-throw in the closing seconds ensured the St. Francis win. The Lady Indians had trailed throughout most of the contest, but had found a way to earn a come-from-behind win, 30-27.
Mia Morrow led the Lady Indians in scoring with 12 points. Talexa Weeter added 9, Emma Johnson 6, Kattie Wurm 2, and Jordyn Faulkender 1. The Lady Indians made 6 of 16 from the line.
Rawlins County was paced by Kiersytn Domsch and Abigail Singhateh each with 10 points. The Lady Buffs made 1 of 5 attempts from the line.
The junior high girls will play Hoxe at Hoxie on Thursday, January 5.
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