Lady Neers with Nice Win on Senior Night

It was senior night at the Joe for the senior girls basketball team as Kaitlyn Morrison and Paige Bosse were recognized and honored before the game. 

The game had the feeling early on that it was going to be rough and lengthy.  SK took a 14-13 lead after Cookie was fouled 50 feet away from the basket on a buzzer beater attempt at the end of the first period.  She would hit two of three shots from the foul line giving SK the one point advantage.

SK was scoring outside while HC was jamming it inside where they had a big advantage in the post.  An early momentum shift happened in the first period as Deasia Beal picked up her second foul with just over two minutes to go in the first quarter.  The HC senior walked straight to the bench without even making eye contact with her coach.

Holy Cross opened the second frame with two straight buckets inside while SK struggled to hit shots.  As can typically be the case in the 8^th Region, foul calls were interesting.  Some total jam jobs were ignored while other touches were at times whistled.  What was constant was the grousing from the Nicholson side stands that went on the entire game.   It was almost humorous at times.  Meanwhile on the court, SK goes up by 8, 30-22 at the half.

The Neers squandered their half-time lead early in the third but would come back to extend the lead to 9 with 2:30 left in the third.  HC would get a TO and then bring a press coming out of the break which did cause some disruption to the SK offensive flow.  After a few possessions, SK would solve the press and get some nice buckets to preserve most of their lead at 38-31 going into the 4^th. 

SK would tighten up and struggle to start the 4th as HC would come roaring back and tie the game 39.  SK would then go on a 5-1 run forcing an Indian TO with SK up 44-40 with 4:15 left.  Coming out of the timeout, SK brought a press of their own.  It didn’t necessarily result in many turnovers in the backcourt but it did cause turnovers in the HC half-court offense.  The SK lead would stay in the 2-4 point lead down the stretch as Abby Owings nailed free throw after free throw as a good point guard does.  Beal would keep HC close as she drove to the basket and scored against a SK defense that was trying not to foul. 

Perhaps the play of the night on senior night happened like it should.  SK was at the foul line and Coach Stowers inserted Morrison into the game.  The free throw was missed but Morrison tipped the ball up in the air allowing fellow senior Bosse to claim the rebound.  Bosse was fouled and was able to convert one free shot giving the Neers a critical 3 point margin.  Definitely a fitting play for Senior Night.  HC would turn the ball over with .7 on the clock. 

I’ll give a hard hat award tonight to Cookie.  She kept HC’s Beal in check for most of the game keeping the Indian offense from getting going.  Cookie would need that hard hat on the last play of the game as her defensive tenacity was recognized by Beal.  Great job Cookie.

 

Two fine looking fams.  Morrisons in top pic and Bosse fam in bottom pic.

 

Paige's senior motto:

 

Schmee with a nice take in the first half; she ended up getting a shot to the nasal cartilages following the release of the shot.

 

Seniors Bosse and Morrison going for the tie-up.

 

Abby getting recognized at half-time for recently scoring her 1,000th point.  What a great smile!

 

Someone asked me after the game if I thought some of the SK drives to the baskets were really fouls against HC.  Here's a couple of samples.

Physical play was the mode of play for the night.

The blow by and the cry for help.