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| Shelbyville senior Ashley Bush takes a shot over the outstretched arms of Rushville’s Keragan Niehoff (24) during the second half of their Shelby Shootout semifinal game Wednesday afternoon at William L. Garrett Gymnasium in Shelbyville. (Warren Robison photo) |
Shelbyville loses OT heartbreaker to Rushville in semifinals
By Jeff Brown
Sports editor
Shelbyville’s bid to end three separate losing streaks at the Shelby Shootout proved too tall a task to handle.
Despite Rushville making every effort to give the game to Shelbyville in the semifinal opener of the 2011 holiday tournament at William L. Garrett Gymnasium in Shelbyville, the Lady Golden Bears couldn’t pull out a win that would have ended a 30-game Hoosier Heritage Conference losing streak, a six-game Shelby Shootout skid, and a 5-game downer against the Lady Lions.
So after losing 43-41 in overtime to Rushville and with little left the proverbial tanks, Shelbyville was overmatched by Westfield and 6-foot-3 center Jenn Anderson, who had a double-double in both games Wednesday.
Anderson scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Westfield to a 66-43 consolation game victory.
“We got our little hearts broken (against Rushville)... every single one of us,” said Shelbyville coach Amanda Norris. “I went home and played my Wii and pouted like a little girl (in between games), and I’m sure it will continue to sting for the girls. Hopefully, it will drive us for the rest of the year.”
While Shelbyville carried momentum into the tournament – and a .500 record, Lawrence Central arrived on a 4-game losing streak after starting the season 4-0 – which included a 58-49 win over then Class 3A, No. 1-ranked Mount Vernon.
The Lady Bears stunned favored Westfield in the semifinals when Calyn Hosea hit a 3-pointer just before time expired for a 44-41 win. Then Lawrence Central used a strong second-half performance to knock off Rushville, 49-44 and claim its first Shelby Shootout championship.
“I think we were sick of losing,” said Lawrence Central coach John Albers. “We started out 4-0, beat some ranked teams and did some outstanding things. Then we lost four straight games to ranked teams. We have a tough schedule and it’s allowing us to learn and grow.”
The Lady Bears never flinched in the championship game despite falling behind 22-11 at halftime to Rushville – the defending Shootout champions. The program’s athleticism started taking over and just eight minutes later the game was tied at 27-27 going into the final quarter.
Kyra Tucker hit a 3-pointer less than 30 seconds into the fourth quarter to give Lawrence Central its first lead of the game. Tucker was there for her team again with another 3-pointer at the 3:22 mark to give her team a 39-33 lead.
“She’s only a sophomore and that’s something I have to continue to understand,” said Albers. “She’s still in that learning mode. When she doesn’t do well, we struggle. When she’s a threat and teams have to guard her, that opens up everything else we have to offer.”
Tucker had 15 points, three rebounds and five assists to solidify herself as the Shelby Shootout’s Most Outstanding Player. The 5-9 forward scored 13 points and had two steals in her team’s morning win – one in which she injured her ankle early on in the contest.
Tucker added another score with 2:20 to go, and McKenzy Telfair hit two free throws to give the Lady Bears a 44-33 lead.
Rushville (7-6) got 15 points and six rebounds from freshman Sarah Cook. Sophomore Mackenzie Campbell finished wih 14 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Rushville shot nearly 50 percent from the field, but as in the Shelbyville game – struggled at the free-throw line. The Lions hit just 9-of-17 attempts against the Lady Bears after struggling to a 9-of-26 performance against Shelbyville.
Campbell was named to the All-Tournament team. She was joined by Hosea (7 points, eight rebounds, three blocks against Rushville), Anderson and her teammate Kayla Brown and Shelbyville’s Ashley Bush.
Sportsmanship winners were Lawrence Central’s Breanna Jones, Westfield’s Amy Shedd, Rushville’s Janna Green and Shelbyville’s Chelsee Simerly.
Not only did Shelbyville struggle with Anderson, it also had a hard time dealing with Brown – a 6-1 sophomore point guard who finished with 20 points, four rebounds and six assists.
“That was a very tough matchup for us,” said Norris. “We don’t traditionally defend guards very well. Our on-ball pressure needs a lot of improvement.”
Shelbyville (5-7) trailed 11-6 after one quarter, and as much as 22-10 in the second quarter before a late run cut the lead to eight by halftime.
Chelsey Skipton hit a 3-pointer to start the third-quarter scoring for Shelbyville, but the Lady Shamrocks (9-4) scored the next eight points and never looked back on the way to a 48-28 advantage after three quarters.
Norris pulled most of the starters for the entire fourth quarter for a program that is wearing down due to a lack of overall numbers.
The Lady Golden Bears didn’t help themselves by going to overtime with Rushville in the morning session.
Following a Mikayla Dougherty 3-pointer – her third of the third quarter – Rushville led 28-20. Skipton answered with a free throw and Riley Achenbach hit a floater in the lane just before the horn sounded to end the third quarter with Shelbyville down 28-23.
In the fourth quarter, a quick score from Bush cut the lead to three. And Allison Gobel drained a 17 footer to make it 28-27 with 5:54 to go.
Cook scored off an offensive rebound and Norris called timeout. Off a set play, Raven Hibbard found Achenbach wide open for a 3-pointer and the game was tied at 30-30.
Both teams struggled to take care of the ball down the stretch, and each had chances to ice the win after Campbell hit a free throw with 1:56 to go that tied the game at 33-33.
Shelbyville’s best chance came after Keragan Niehoff missed a free throw with 29 seconds to go. Following a timeout with 11 seconds left, the Lady Golden Bears worked the ball into the low post to Bush. She was immediately double teamed and traveled while trying to make a move.
After a Rushville timeout, Campbell tried to throw a long pass down court but Hibbard intercepted it near the top of the key and Shelbyville called timeout with 2.8 seconds to go. Skipton was able to get off an off-balance 17 footer but it missed the mark.
In overtime, Rushville continued to struggle from the free-throw line but three Shelbyville turnovers kept the game close.
Simerly hit her first 3-pointer of the season with 1:30 to go to give the Lady Golden Bears a 39-38 lead. Campbell got Rushville the lead back, and Cook added a free throw to make it 41-39.
Gobel scored on a back door cut to tie the game again with 14 seconds on the clock.
But Campbell was fouled driving to the basket and earned two free-throw attempts. After the Lady Lions missed 17-of-24 free throws in the game, Campbell finally hit a pair to get the win.
In the second semifinal, Lawrence Central capitalized on 25 Westfield turnovers to keep it close.
Anderson hit 9-of-11 shots from the field for 19 points, and pulled down 12 rebounds – but she had just two points in a fourth quarter where the Lady Shamrocks scored just four points.
Despite Rushville making every effort to give the game to Shelbyville in the semifinal opener of the 2011 holiday tournament at William L. Garrett Gymnasium in Shelbyville, the Lady Golden Bears couldn’t pull out a win that would have ended a 30-game Hoosier Heritage Conference losing streak, a six-game Shelby Shootout skid, and a 5-game downer against the Lady Lions.
So after losing 43-41 in overtime to Rushville and with little left the proverbial tanks, Shelbyville was overmatched by Westfield and 6-foot-3 center Jenn Anderson, who had a double-double in both games Wednesday.
Anderson scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Westfield to a 66-43 consolation game victory.
While Shelbyville carried momentum into the tournament – and a .500 record, Lawrence Central arrived on a 4-game losing streak after starting the season 4-0 – which included a 58-49 win over then Class 3A, No. 1-ranked Mount Vernon.
The Lady Bears stunned favored Westfield in the semifinals when Calyn Hosea hit a 3-pointer just before time expired for a 44-41 win. Then Lawrence Central used a strong second-half performance to knock off Rushville, 49-44 and claim its first Shelby Shootout championship.
“I think we were sick of losing,” said Lawrence Central coach John Albers. “We started out 4-0, beat some ranked teams and did some outstanding things. Then we lost four straight games to ranked teams. We have a tough schedule and it’s allowing us to learn and grow.”
The Lady Bears never flinched in the championship game despite falling behind 22-11 at halftime to Rushville – the defending Shootout champions. The program’s athleticism started taking over and just eight minutes later the game was tied at 27-27 going into the final quarter.
Kyra Tucker hit a 3-pointer less than 30 seconds into the fourth quarter to give Lawrence Central its first lead of the game. Tucker was there for her team again with another 3-pointer at the 3:22 mark to give her team a 39-33 lead.
“She’s only a sophomore and that’s something I have to continue to understand,” said Albers. “She’s still in that learning mode. When she doesn’t do well, we struggle. When she’s a threat and teams have to guard her, that opens up everything else we have to offer.”
Tucker had 15 points, three rebounds and five assists to solidify herself as the Shelby Shootout’s Most Outstanding Player. The 5-9 forward scored 13 points and had two steals in her team’s morning win – one in which she injured her ankle early on in the contest.
Tucker added another score with 2:20 to go, and McKenzy Telfair hit two free throws to give the Lady Bears a 44-33 lead.
Rushville (7-6) got 15 points and six rebounds from freshman Sarah Cook. Sophomore Mackenzie Campbell finished wih 14 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Rushville shot nearly 50 percent from the field, but as in the Shelbyville game – struggled at the free-throw line. The Lions hit just 9-of-17 attempts against the Lady Bears after struggling to a 9-of-26 performance against Shelbyville.
Campbell was named to the All-Tournament team. She was joined by Hosea (7 points, eight rebounds, three blocks against Rushville), Anderson and her teammate Kayla Brown and Shelbyville’s Ashley Bush.
Sportsmanship winners were Lawrence Central’s Breanna Jones, Westfield’s Amy Shedd, Rushville’s Janna Green and Shelbyville’s Chelsee Simerly.
Not only did Shelbyville struggle with Anderson, it also had a hard time dealing with Brown – a 6-1 sophomore point guard who finished with 20 points, four rebounds and six assists.
“That was a very tough matchup for us,” said Norris. “We don’t traditionally defend guards very well. Our on-ball pressure needs a lot of improvement.”
Shelbyville (5-7) trailed 11-6 after one quarter, and as much as 22-10 in the second quarter before a late run cut the lead to eight by halftime.
Chelsey Skipton hit a 3-pointer to start the third-quarter scoring for Shelbyville, but the Lady Shamrocks (9-4) scored the next eight points and never looked back on the way to a 48-28 advantage after three quarters.
Norris pulled most of the starters for the entire fourth quarter for a program that is wearing down due to a lack of overall numbers.
The Lady Golden Bears didn’t help themselves by going to overtime with Rushville in the morning session.
Following a Mikayla Dougherty 3-pointer – her third of the third quarter – Rushville led 28-20. Skipton answered with a free throw and Riley Achenbach hit a floater in the lane just before the horn sounded to end the third quarter with Shelbyville down 28-23.
In the fourth quarter, a quick score from Bush cut the lead to three. And Allison Gobel drained a 17 footer to make it 28-27 with 5:54 to go.
Cook scored off an offensive rebound and Norris called timeout. Off a set play, Raven Hibbard found Achenbach wide open for a 3-pointer and the game was tied at 30-30.
Both teams struggled to take care of the ball down the stretch, and each had chances to ice the win after Campbell hit a free throw with 1:56 to go that tied the game at 33-33.
Shelbyville’s best chance came after Keragan Niehoff missed a free throw with 29 seconds to go. Following a timeout with 11 seconds left, the Lady Golden Bears worked the ball into the low post to Bush. She was immediately double teamed and traveled while trying to make a move.
After a Rushville timeout, Campbell tried to throw a long pass down court but Hibbard intercepted it near the top of the key and Shelbyville called timeout with 2.8 seconds to go. Skipton was able to get off an off-balance 17 footer but it missed the mark.
In overtime, Rushville continued to struggle from the free-throw line but three Shelbyville turnovers kept the game close.
Simerly hit her first 3-pointer of the season with 1:30 to go to give the Lady Golden Bears a 39-38 lead. Campbell got Rushville the lead back, and Cook added a free throw to make it 41-39.
Gobel scored on a back door cut to tie the game again with 14 seconds on the clock.
But Campbell was fouled driving to the basket and earned two free-throw attempts. After the Lady Lions missed 17-of-24 free throws in the game, Campbell finally hit a pair to get the win.
In the second semifinal, Lawrence Central capitalized on 25 Westfield turnovers to keep it close.
Anderson hit 9-of-11 shots from the field for 19 points, and pulled down 12 rebounds – but she had just two points in a fourth quarter where the Lady Shamrocks scored just four points.
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