Fast Start Seals Win Over Lady Devils
The Lady Indians jumped out to a 12-point first quarter lead, extended the margin to 20 in the second period, and cruised to a 65-46 win over the Decatur Community Lady Red Devils on Friday, February 9 in St. Francis. The junior varsity Lady Indians completely dominated their two-quarter contest winning 34-4.
Decatur Community's (DC) Clayton Carter (Jr) scored the first basket of the contest from the left-corner. Taighe Weeter followed with a left-wing trey (assist Reagan Beims) on the next Lady Indian possession. it would be the first of five treys the Lady Indians would drain in the first period. Lindsey Johnson's assist set up a trey by Lauren Johnson. Moments later, a steal and assist by Lauren led to a left-wing trey by Hanna Bracelin. Bracelin's next basket, a score in the lane, came on an assist by Beims. St. Francis led 11-2 less than three minutes into the contest. Lauren Johnson's pass set up the next Lady Indian trey; a right-wing three-ball by Karly Bandel. DC had seen enough and, trailing 14-2, called time-out at 4:30 to regroup. The Lady Red Devils added a free-throw by Brittney Wesley (Sr.) after the time-out, but a left-corner trey by Bracelin (assist Bandel) widened the margin to 17-3. DC's Erin May (So) scored the Lady Devils' second basket of the contest in the closing seconds of the quarter. St. Francis led 17-5 after one quarter of action.
Taighe Weeter opened the second period with a driving score. DC's Amy Wentz (So.) answered with a basket on well-executed press offense. Karly Bandel's assist led to a basket by Hanna Bracelin, but Anna Carter (So.) followed with a stick-back basket. At. 5:58, St. Francis called time-out leading 21-9. After returning to action, the Lady Indians scored three consecutive baskets; a post basket by Lindsey Johnson (assist Bracelin), a left-wing trey by Lauren Johnson, and a left-elbow bucket by Bracelin. With 4:26 left in the first half, St. Francis led 26-9. The 6-point run ended with a score by Wesley. At 3:13, a right-wing trey by Weeter moved the advantage to 20 (31-11). After the addition of three DC free-throws, Emma Johnson drained a trey on an assist by Weeter. The Lady Devils would add two free-throws and a drive at the buzzer while the Lady Indians earned a post basket by Bracelin (assist Beims) before the first half closed. St. Francis led 36-18 at halftime. The Lady Indians had shot very well, draining 8 treys in the first half.
Lauren Johnson opened the second half with a steal-trey. DC's Wesley answered with a three-ball from the right-wing on the next possession. After a basket by Taighe Weeter, Alyssa VanVleet (So.) added a free-throw, and then Reagan Beims added a left-elbow shot (assist Lindsey Johnson). Beims returned the assist-favor on the next St. Francis score; a left corner shot by Lindsey Johnson. Weeter then added another deuce. The Lady Devils scored the next three baskets narrowing the advantage to 20 (48-28) and resulting in a St. Francis time-out at 3:16. After returning to action, Karly Bandel earned a steal-two, but DC added two more scores; the second being a trey further reducing the lead to 17. St. Francis added the final two baskets of the period; a drive by Bracelin and an out-of-bounds play score by Weeter (assist Bandel). St. Francis led 54-33 at the third quarter break.
After a 4th quarter opening free-throw by DC's VanVleet, St. Francis added the next 8 points (free-throws by Hanna Bracelin and Reagan Beims, a deuce by Lindsey Johnson, and a trey by Lauren Johnson. The margin grew to 61-34, and DC called time-out with 4:14 to play. Anna Carter (So.) added 6 points to the Lady Devils total in the final period. St. Francis picked up additional points from Bracelin and Hannah Zimbal. St. Francis defeated the Lady Devils 65-46.
The Lady Indians had three players score in double-figures; Hanna Bracelin 20, Taighe Weeter 15, and Lauren Johnson 12. Lindsey Johnson added 6, Karly Bandel 5, Emma Johnson 3, Reagan Beims 3, and Hannah Zimbal 2. The Lady Indians made 5 of 9 from the stripe, had 13 turnovers, and 16 fouls.
Sophomore Anna Carter led the Lady Devils with 12 points. Brittney Wesley added 11 and Alyssa VanVleet 9. DC totaled 19 turnovers, 12 fouls, and made 9 of 18 from the line.
The junior varsity game was a lop-sided contest. St. Francis jumped out to a 7-0 lead getting free-throws by Emma Johnson and Hanna Zimbal and a trey by Johnson. DC's Erin May made two free-throws at 5:05, but the Lady Devils did not score again in the period. St. Francis added a left-wing trey by Alondra Gomez (assist Emma Johnson), a top-of-the-key trey by Johnson (assist Emileigh Dinkel), a trey and drive by Karly Bandel, and a stick-back basket by Lindsey Johnson. St. Francis led 20-2 at the first-quarter break.
DC eventually scored their first and only basket of the two-quarter contest with 3:25 left in the final period. The score moved the scoreboard to 25-4. St. Francis rolled to a 34-4 win.
St. Francis was led in scoring by Emma Johnson with 15 points. Others scoring for SF included Alondra Gomez 7, Karly Bandel 5, Lauren Johnson 3, Lindsey Johnson 2, and Hannah Zimbal 2. St. Francis only had 4 turnovers in the shortened contest; DC had 19.
The Lady Indians will play Cheylin on Tuesday, February 13, in St. Francis.
Click the photos to see more photos!
