SOUTH WHITLEY - Whitko's varsity girls basketball team tried to blow an eight-point lead with 30 seconds to play, but the visiting Triton Lady Trojans came up just short in their bid for a come-from-behind victory.
Trailing 45-37 with 26.8 seconds remaining, Triton scored five-straight points to cut the lead to 45-42 with possession of the ball.Holding for a final shot, Triton senior Brittany Wallace was whistled for travelling just before hitting a three-pointer, handing Whitko the 45-42 home win.
Even with the big lead late in the game, Whitko coach Rob Bell could almost predict it would be close down the stretch.
"Honestly, with the way we've hung on all year, I did," he said. "I looked at my assistants and said, 'This isn't done yet.'"
The Lady Wildcats (4-8) allowed Triton (4-8) to stay in the game by coming up empty on two trips to the free throw line in the final 25 seconds.
"The way (Whitko) shot free throws, I really thought they probably would ice it from the line," Triton coach Adam Heckaman said. "We were going to have to foul them and they were pretty consistent on the free throw line all night. Maybe the pressure got to them and they missed them. We took advantage of those chances, even on the last play. Unfortunately, we got the shot to fall, but she shuffled her feet just a little too much."
If it hadn't been for a two-point first quarter, the Trojans may not have had to worry about Whitko missing free throws in the final minute.
"That's kind of been our downfall all year," Heckaman said of falling behind 9-2 at the end of the first quarter. "We have one, or maybe two, bad stretches. Tonight, it was in the first quarter."
Despite Triton's struggles to score, Whitko failed to really take advantage, only building its lead to eight points in the second quarter.
"We have to mix it around, spread it around," Bell said. "We had a lot of shots. Their zone did a good job of rotating. We're still doing too much standing. In that zone, we get the passes to the right hole, but the other girls are standing and watching, waiting for something to happen."
Triton junior Aubrey Boardman wasn't waiting for something to happen, scoring all 11 of her points in the second quarter, keeping her team within striking distance at 22-15 at the half.
Despite her offensive outburst in the second quarter, Boardman only took one more shot the rest of the night, as freshman Shana Anderson began to impose her will, finishing the game with 17 points, four steals and four rebounds.
"By tonight's performance, she showed she fits in the varsity scheme real well," Heckaman said of Anderson, who's started the last two games on the varsity while also playing on the junior varsity. "She's someone we've brought along. We hoped she would bring us something, and she's starting to give us what she's capable of giving."
Anderson and Boardman finished the game scoring 28 of their team's 42 points, but Whitko got a little more balance, led by junior Rachelle Kessie's 12 and eight rebounds, followed by sophomore Karissa Olinske's 11 points and six rebounds and sophomore Micaela Sylvester's eight points and five steals.
"We got good contribution from everyone tonight," Bell said. "We're a team and we don't have a superstar. I'd like to have seen us get it into the post a little more. We need to learn how to do that."
Each team now sits at 4-8 with Christmas coming up.
"I'm glad we have the break," Heckaman said of not playing again until Jan. 6 at home against Tippecanoe Valley. "We didn't have much of a break last year, because we were in a holiday tournament. I think the break's good. It's a long season. It's tough with the schedule we have, because each night we come in as bit of an underdog. We have to be on top of our game every night to give ourselves a chance. The girls are getting there."
Whitko will play in a holiday tournament, travelling to Peru for the Miami County Tournament Tuesday against North Miami.
"For me, I want to be right back in the gym tomorrow, fixing all these mistakes," he said. "But I think it will be good to get them away for three days. Right now, we're as mentally fried as anything else."
