Skip to content

LaPlata Edges Brashear For N. Shelby Third Place

LaPlata Edges Brashear

For N. Shelby Third Place

By David Sharp

   Justine Bane sank a LaPlata free throw with 13 seconds remaining in the girls’ third place game of the 2008 North Shelby Tournament, lifting the Lady Bulldogs (8-5) to a 41-40 win over Brashear. Emily Ladwig sank a 15 footer with 70 seconds remaining in the game, putting the Lady Tigers up by a 40-38 margin.

   Brashear (8-6) scored the first four points of the contest. Neither team played well early in the Saturday afternoon 3PM matinee. LaPlata came back and led 6-4 after one quarter of basketball.

   The teams continued to stumble through the contest most of the second quarter. Hailee Kelsey gave the Lady Tigers a 14-13 edge with a field goal in the final 1:38 of the first half. LaPlata finished the quarter well. Gara Curtis completed a three point play with five seconds to play in the second quarter, raising LaPlata to an 18-15 halftime lead.

   The Lady Bulldogs sprang to a 26-20 lead with 2:44 showing on the third quarter clock. Christina Scudder sank a BHS free throw and then powered in a bucket for a 28-25 LaPlata lead with 68 seconds to go in the third quarter.

   Brashear executed much better on both ends of the court from the midway point of the third quarter on. Stephanie Elsea tossed in six Brashear points during the third period. Elsea beat the Lady Bulldogs down the court with 42 seconds to go and sank a 15 footer for a 29-28 Lady Tiger lead after three quarters of play.

   The Tri-County Conference rivals battled throughout an entertaining fourth quarter.  LaPlata tied the score at 29. Kelsey Williams sank two LaPlata free throws for a 31-29 edge with seven minutes showing on the fourth quarter clock.

   Hailee Kelsey picked up her fourth foul on the play. Stephanie Elsea tied the game again with 6:45 remaining in regulation time. Christina Scudder answered a LaPlata bucket with a three point play at the 5:37 mark of the fourth quarter. The Lady Tigers held a 34+33 lead in the back and forth contest.

   Kelsey Williams sank a free throw knotting the score at 36 with 3:03 to go. LaPlata started going to post player Justine Bane. Christina Scudder was assessed her fourth foul with 2:29 on the clock. Bane sank a free throw for a 37-36 LaPlata lead.

   Junior Caroline Slavin shook loose and putt Brashear back on top with a bucket at the 2:11 mark. Justine Bane drew Hailee Kelsey’s fifth foul and tied the game with a free throw 15 seconds later.

   Emily Ladwig came off the bench and drained a jumper for a 40-38 BHS edge with 1:10 in the game. Caroline Slavin blocked a shot and stole the basketball with 53 seconds showing on the clock.

   Justine Bane stole an inbound pass and powered to the hole for a game tying field goal with 42 seconds remaining in the game. Christina Scudder fouled out on the play. Kelsey Williams darted between two Brashear players and grabbed an offensive rebound of a missed free throw.

   LaPlata went back to Justine Bane who was fouled and sank a free throw for the 41-40 lead with 13 seconds to play in the game. Brashear turned the ball over.

   Justine Bane missed two free throws with 3.2 seconds remaining in the game. Laura Tuggle stole the basketball and ran out the remaining time, sealing the 41-40 Lady Bulldog victory.

   “We have spurts where we play hard and the energy is there,” said Brashear coach Sara Williams. “We are a Jekyll and Hyde team right now. We have spurts where we throw the ball away time after time. The timing wasn’t great when we let that happen today.”

   “We had chances to control it and put (the game) away, but we just didn’t do that,” said Williams. “Our seniors have to make better decisions (on game situations). It’s a different ball game when we don’t have seniors on the floor.”

   Justine Bane scored eight of her team leading 11 points in the fourth quarter. Gara Curtis battled the tough Brashear front line all game and finished with eight points.

   Christina Scudder had a 16 point, 14 rebound effort. Stephanie Elsea was in double figures with ten BHS points. Hailee Kelsey tallied seven of the Lady Tigers’ 12 assists and finished with four points. Caroline Slavin scored four Brashear points.

   Abby McKim came off the bench and contributed three points. Emily Ladwig scored two points and Jessi Hill added one. Brashear had 31 team rebounds, seven blocked shots and 14 turnovers.

   “We were stubborn, but we wouldn’t lay down and die,” said LaPlata coach Jared Wood. “We got a couple of turnovers late in the game. Without those turnovers, we would not have won.”