Whitko Girls Lose Nail-Biter
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
OSSIAN - Hoosier Hysteria started Tuesday night when the Whitko Lady Wildcats traveled to the Norwell Sectional and took on Peru.
Peru took the lead on a free throw by Stacey Swinford with 43.9 seconds left in the game to defeat the Wildcats 56-55.
"We really thought we had a chance to win this sectional if we put together a string of three good games. This is a disappointing way to end the year," Whitko assistant coach Dustin Cuttriss said.
Early in the first quarter it appeared as though Whitko would run away with the game. Led by Kylee Brown's three-point shots, the Wildcats jumped out to a 10 point lead at 12-2 with 5:24 left in the quarter.
Peru cut the lead to 13-9 on three-point shot by Rachael Smithberger. Whitko called a timeout. Ashley Hoopingarner hit a three and put the Wildcats on top 16-9.
Peru then forced turnovers from Whitko and went on a 5-0 run to end the quarter. The run put the Tigers within two at 16-14.
"We lacked execution at the times we needed it tonight. We definitely put forth a great effort especially in the early part of the first quarter. We never got back that intensity, for the finish, although we came close a few times," Cuttriss said.
Whitko's shooting went cold in the second while Peru shot 6 of 10 from the field. The Wildcats had eleven turnovers in the first half.
Peru tied the game at 20-20 late in the quarter. Swinford put the Tigers up front 22-20 when she rebounded and scored off a missed free throw from Vicky Lindzy. Peru then outscored the Wildcats 6-4 the rest of the quarter to take a 28-24 half time lead.
"I really feel for our seniors tonight. I wish we could have sent them out on a better note. Katie Trump and Jayanna Begley provided great leadership for us all four years they have been here. They went at hard from day one in practice all the way through this year. We will miss that leadership," Cuttriss said.
Peru went up eight at 32-24 as they scored the first four points in the third. Brown then hit a three to bring the lead down to 32-27. She also hit a three with 4:33 left in the quarter to cut the lead to two at 34-32.
Veronica Jersey tied the game at 34-34 with a field goal. Jill Wendell of Whitko hit 1 of 2 free throws to take the lead and was followed two free throws by Jersey to put the Wildcats up 37-34.
After a field goal by Peru's Smithberger, Brown hit her third three pointer to put Whitko up 40-36 with 2:07 left. Peru then went on a 6-2 finish to tie the game going in to the final stanza.
"We have had a lot of injuries to overcome this year. The good thing about is that we have had to have a lot of our younger players get some quality playing time. This will help us for next year," Cuttriss said.
The first part of the fourth went back and forth with neither team able to take advantage of the other. With 3:10 left in the game, Wendell was fouled on a layup and converted the three-point play and gave the Wildcats the biggest lead of the quarter at 51-48.
With 1:09 on the clock Peru's Lindzy hit two free throws to tie the game at 55-55. Again turnovers and bad shots by both teams kept the score tied.
With 43.9 seconds left Swinford hit the free throw that won the game. Whitko turned the ball over with 16 seconds left. Swinford then went to the line to shoot two and missed them both giving the Lady Wildcats one last chance.
As the clock was running down, Whitko set up for the last shot. Jersey took the last shot with 1.2 seconds left that fell short. Whitko could not steal the ball before time expired.
"I told the girls, in the locker room, that next season starts tomorrow. We have a lot of youth but with lot of playing time. I am looking forward to next year," Cuttriss said.
(Complete results unavailable)
PERU 56, WHITKO 55
W 16 8 18 13 - 55
P 14 14 14 14 - 56
Whitko -ÊHoopingarner 2-3 0-2 5, Brown 5-12 0-0 15, VanHoozen 0-0 0-0 0, Wendel 1-7 4-7 6, Jersey 2-7 2-2 6, Juillerat 4-18 5-6 13, Trump 0-1 0-0 0, Bidwell 0-1 0-0 0, Begley 5-9 0-0 10. Totals 19-58 11-17 55.
Three-point goals - 6-14 (Brown 5-7, Hoopingarner 1-1). Team fouls - 21. Fouled out - Wendel. [[In-content Ad]]
OSSIAN - Hoosier Hysteria started Tuesday night when the Whitko Lady Wildcats traveled to the Norwell Sectional and took on Peru.
Peru took the lead on a free throw by Stacey Swinford with 43.9 seconds left in the game to defeat the Wildcats 56-55.
"We really thought we had a chance to win this sectional if we put together a string of three good games. This is a disappointing way to end the year," Whitko assistant coach Dustin Cuttriss said.
Early in the first quarter it appeared as though Whitko would run away with the game. Led by Kylee Brown's three-point shots, the Wildcats jumped out to a 10 point lead at 12-2 with 5:24 left in the quarter.
Peru cut the lead to 13-9 on three-point shot by Rachael Smithberger. Whitko called a timeout. Ashley Hoopingarner hit a three and put the Wildcats on top 16-9.
Peru then forced turnovers from Whitko and went on a 5-0 run to end the quarter. The run put the Tigers within two at 16-14.
"We lacked execution at the times we needed it tonight. We definitely put forth a great effort especially in the early part of the first quarter. We never got back that intensity, for the finish, although we came close a few times," Cuttriss said.
Whitko's shooting went cold in the second while Peru shot 6 of 10 from the field. The Wildcats had eleven turnovers in the first half.
Peru tied the game at 20-20 late in the quarter. Swinford put the Tigers up front 22-20 when she rebounded and scored off a missed free throw from Vicky Lindzy. Peru then outscored the Wildcats 6-4 the rest of the quarter to take a 28-24 half time lead.
"I really feel for our seniors tonight. I wish we could have sent them out on a better note. Katie Trump and Jayanna Begley provided great leadership for us all four years they have been here. They went at hard from day one in practice all the way through this year. We will miss that leadership," Cuttriss said.
Peru went up eight at 32-24 as they scored the first four points in the third. Brown then hit a three to bring the lead down to 32-27. She also hit a three with 4:33 left in the quarter to cut the lead to two at 34-32.
Veronica Jersey tied the game at 34-34 with a field goal. Jill Wendell of Whitko hit 1 of 2 free throws to take the lead and was followed two free throws by Jersey to put the Wildcats up 37-34.
After a field goal by Peru's Smithberger, Brown hit her third three pointer to put Whitko up 40-36 with 2:07 left. Peru then went on a 6-2 finish to tie the game going in to the final stanza.
"We have had a lot of injuries to overcome this year. The good thing about is that we have had to have a lot of our younger players get some quality playing time. This will help us for next year," Cuttriss said.
The first part of the fourth went back and forth with neither team able to take advantage of the other. With 3:10 left in the game, Wendell was fouled on a layup and converted the three-point play and gave the Wildcats the biggest lead of the quarter at 51-48.
With 1:09 on the clock Peru's Lindzy hit two free throws to tie the game at 55-55. Again turnovers and bad shots by both teams kept the score tied.
With 43.9 seconds left Swinford hit the free throw that won the game. Whitko turned the ball over with 16 seconds left. Swinford then went to the line to shoot two and missed them both giving the Lady Wildcats one last chance.
As the clock was running down, Whitko set up for the last shot. Jersey took the last shot with 1.2 seconds left that fell short. Whitko could not steal the ball before time expired.
"I told the girls, in the locker room, that next season starts tomorrow. We have a lot of youth but with lot of playing time. I am looking forward to next year," Cuttriss said.
(Complete results unavailable)
PERU 56, WHITKO 55
W 16 8 18 13 - 55
P 14 14 14 14 - 56
Whitko -ÊHoopingarner 2-3 0-2 5, Brown 5-12 0-0 15, VanHoozen 0-0 0-0 0, Wendel 1-7 4-7 6, Jersey 2-7 2-2 6, Juillerat 4-18 5-6 13, Trump 0-1 0-0 0, Bidwell 0-1 0-0 0, Begley 5-9 0-0 10. Totals 19-58 11-17 55.
Three-point goals - 6-14 (Brown 5-7, Hoopingarner 1-1). Team fouls - 21. Fouled out - Wendel. [[In-content Ad]]