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WABASH - Playing a crucial Three Rivers Conference game at Class 2A No. 10 Wabash Saturday night, the Whitko girls basketball team had the intensity, but not the shooting touch.
At 4-1 in the TRC, the Whitko Lady Wildcats (11-6) desperately needed to knock off Wabash (14-3), who was the lone undefeated conference team at 4-0, if they had any hopes of winning their first conference title since the 2007-08 season.
However, a 13-for-45 shooting night (29 percent) made that bid difficult, falling 47-37.
"I thought we played as hard as we ever have and I thought we played as disciplined as we ever have," Whitko coach Brandon Bradley said.
Knowing what was on the line, Bradley felt that intensity may have resulted in some hurried shots, as the Lady Wildcats converted just 3-of-14 three-point attempts and made 8 of 16 free throws.
"When you play with that energy level, you have to be able to compose yourself a little more offensively," he said. "I thought we really, really raised our defensive level and our energy was phenomenal tonight."
That defensive intensity helped the Lady Wildcats hold a 31-30 lead after three quarters, which is 21 points below Wabash's season average.
However, the Lady Apaches netted 17 points in the final quarter, going 13 of 14 at the free-throw line.
"I thought we played with a lot of composure and with a lot of experience," Wabash coach Scott Bumgardner said. "We really did a nice job of finishing the game."
Wabash did do a good job of finishing the game, making 10 of 10 free throws following a turning-point offensive foul on Whitko sophomore Jennifer Reiff.
Tied at 37-37 with just over three minutes to play, Wabash turned the ball over and Whitko got out in transition.
Hurrying the ball down the court, Reiff got the ball on the right side, drawing contact as she sank a layup.
Initially, the official appeared to signal an 'and-one' call, but then changed it to an offensive foul, changing the complexion of the game.
"I'm not going to talk (bad) about the officiating, but that did take if from being a possible three-point play to an offensive foul (and turnover)," Bradley said. "After that, we had to start fouling and they were able to stretch (the lead) out. We got impatient, because we felt pressured. We've never been in a big spot like that. It was a little bit of immaturity and our inexperience kind of came in."
After that call, Whitko didn't score again and Wabash came away with the win, despite not playing their best game.
"It's a sectional-type of win," Bumgardner said. "It was kind of a possession, grind it out-type of game. I just have a lot of respect for Whitko. I thought they were extremely athletic. They really attacked hard and played without fear. A lot of our mistakes were because of their good play."
Wabash also earned the win with one of its top players limited with foul trouble, as Kyleigh Hampton celebrated Senior Night with three points on 1-of-5 shooting before fouling out, although she did post five rebounds and four blocks, with four of those boards and three of the blocks coming in the opening two minutes of the second half.
Despite Hampton's struggles, Wabash did put three girls into double-digit scoring, as junior Claire Cromer led the way with 13, followed by senior Lyndsie Thomas' 11 and junior Sarah Puckett's 10 to go with 11 rebounds.
For Whitko, Jennifer Reiff led the way with 10 points, while freshmen Brianna Cumberland and Aly Reiff netted nine and eight, respectively.
Coming into the game as the TRC's leader in points (16.2), assists (6.0) and steals (4.8), as well as seventh in rebounds (7.7), Aly Reiff had a solid game, recording eight rebounds, four assists and four steals, but had a tough night from the field, making just 3 of 16 shot attempts.
However, she wasn't Whitko's only player to struggle from the field, as the team hadn't played a game since its 48-35 home win over Wawasee on Jan. 21.
Despite the weather-related layoff, Bradley felt his team was as prepared as Wabash, who got a 72-32 win at Southwood Thursday night.
"They actually had less practices than we had because they can't go (to practice) when they don't have school," Bradley said. "We practiced a couple of days when we didn't have school."
Unless the Lady Apaches stumble mightily at home against 4-14 (1-5 TRC) North Miami Monday at home, they're assured of at least a share of the TRC crown, as they close out their TRC season Wednesday at home against Rochester, the only one-loss conference team.
"We're just hoping for the weather to cooperate so we can get these (games) in," Bumgardner said.
For Whitko, a TRC title is most likely out of the cards, but Bradley isn't just going to sit back and wait for sectionals.
Whitko hosts Northfield Wednesday then travels to LCA Thursday.
"We're going to come out and compete for whatever we can compete for," he said. "Northfield's really good, having beaten Wabash this year (at the Wabash County Tournament). We can't take them lightly. We're going to approach that like another conference-championship level game or sectional game."
WABASH 47, WHITKO 37
Wh 11 10 10 6 - 37
Wa 10 7 13 17 - 47
Wabash - Claire Cromer 3-7 6-8 13, Lyndsie Thomas 2-8 7-7 11, Heather Miller 0-1 0-0 0, Kyleigh Hampton 1-5 0-0 3, Jaclyn Lewis 2-7 2-2 6, Kristyn Ford 0-1 0-0 0, Shelby Stone 2-4 0-0 4, Sarah Ritter 0-0 0-0 0, Sarah Puckett 3-9 4-9 10. Totals 13-42 19-26 47.
Whitko - Jennifer Reiff 3-9 4-5 10, Brianna Cumberland 3-8 1-6 9, Aly Reiff 3-16 1-2 8, Kelly Reiff 0-4 0-0 0, Jordan Hall 2-4 2-3 6, Reghan Craig 1-2 0-0 2, Avaree Freel 0-0 0-0 0, Aly Nicodemus 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 13-45 8-16 37.
3-point goals - Wabash 2-7 (Cromer, Hampton), Whitko 3-14 (Cumberland 2, A. Reiff); Team Fouls (fouled out) - Wabash 15 (Hampton), Whitko 22; Turnovers - Wabash 15, Whitko 16; Rebounds - Wabash 38 (Puckett 11), Whitko 33 (A. Reiff 8); Assists - Wabash 5 (Cromer 2, Thomas 2), Whitko 7 (A. Reiff 4); Steals - Wabash 6 (Cromer 2), Whitko 10 (Cumberland 5, A. Reiff 5); Blocks - Wabash 6 (Hampton 4), Whitko 0.
Records: Wabash 14-3 (5-0 TRC), Whitko 11-6 (4-2 TRC).
JV - Whitko 29, Wabash 26
Whitko JV - Freel 9, Hanna Yohe 7, Haley Yohe 4, Kennedy Krull 4, Michelle Kelsey 3, Riley Insley 2.
