LIGONIER - Sophomore Katee Reiff gave the Whitko Lady Wildcats basketball team the boost it needed Thursday at Class 3A Sectional 21.
In the opening game of the sectional at West Noble High School, Reiff came off the bench to score 16 points, leading Whitko (8-13) to the 51-42 win over Tippecanoe Valley (9-12)."Katee Reiff's the difference in the game," Valley coach Gary Teel said. "She just shot the ball extremely well."
Reiff entered the game averaging three points a game on 18-percent shooting, but went 5 for 7 from the field and 3 for 4 from the free-throw line in the win.
"She just relaxed and played," Whitko coach Rob Bell said about Reiff. "This was, by far, her best game this year."
In their Dec. 19 meeting in Akron, Whitko watched a 14-6 lead evaporate in a 62-55 loss, but this time around, Whitko led from the first quarter on.
"I don't think there was a kid who played tonight that could have given any more than what she did," Bell said. "I'm proud of them."
Whitko now plays West Noble (6-14) Saturday at 6 p.m. in the semifinals. In the previous meeting between the two squads, Whitko got the best of West Noble 50-41 on Dec. 17, but Bell isn't taking too much stock in that result.
"Valley got us the first time, and we got West Noble, so they'll be gunning for us," Bell said. "They're on their home court, and they'll be rested."
Against West Noble, Bell will be looking for some of the balance he got in the Valley win, which saw sophomore Micaela Sylvester net 15 points, dish five assists and post three steals, while junior Rachelle Kessie had a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds.
"Each one of our kids has led us, statistically, at some point this year, so if we can put it all together, we could be tough to beat," Bell said. "Tonight, we had a lot of kids bring it and put it together."
In the loss, senior Kate Myers also had a double-double, scoring 16 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, while fellow senior Hannah Boggs closed her prep career with eight points, six rebounds and three steals.
