The People’s Tribune

Lady Cats Earn District Title On Pair Of Exciting upsets

The third-seeded Bowling Green Lady Cats upset (2) Lutheran St. Charles and top-seeded Christian to win the title in the Class 3 District 7 tournament.

The Lady Cats played brilliantly as a unit and adjusted quickly on offense. They also suffocated teams with their high octane defense.

Most fans knew to expect a low scoring game in the championship but the defense of both teams brought scoring to a virtual halt.

Only one basket was scored in the entire first quarter. With just over two minutes remaining in the first Christian’s Abby King managed to battle through the Lady Cats’ defense but that was it.

Scoring was limited in the second quarter as well.

King scored again to start the frame. Gracie Stugart added a free throw in the second. Gabi Deters knocked down all three buckets for Bowling Green in the second. Her last basket came with just 30 seconds remaining she put the Lady Cats on top 6-5 for halftime.

Bowling Green changed up the game plan in the third. Deters sent a stong pass deep inside to KateLynn Charlton who sank the first basket of four she would make in the period. She scored 10 in the third after sinking a pair of free throws. At one point the Lady Cats were up 14-5.

Kourtney Markham and Stugart each scored three-point plays and Grace Kinsey added a basket to pull the game back in striking distance. Bowling Green led 16-13 at halftime.

Jaylen Early scored the first basket of the fourth quarter. Markham scored a couple of free throws before hitting a three-pointer to tie the score at 18. Stugart put the Lady Eagles on top for the first time since the first quarter, 20-18. Deters tied the score with a couple of free throws. Christian took the lead two more times and appeared to have the game as they went up 25-23 with just 16 seconds remaining. That was plenty of time for Deters to bring the ball down the floor and drop in a layup to knot the score at 25 to force overtime.

Caitlin Bilhartz hit two big free throws to start the OT period. Markham tied the score but another basket by Bilhartz and two free throws by Deters sealed the win 31-27 and knocked off the top seed in the tournament. Bilhartz and Deters were named the Community State Bank TribCast Players of the Game.

Deters led scoring with 14, Charlton had 11, Bilhartz had four in the overtime period and Early ended the game with two points.

The Lady Cats will move on to face District 8 champion Clark County at Moberly Area Community College on Wednesday night.

SEMIFINAL

The Lady Cats battled through (2) Lutheran St. Charles in the semifinal on Wednesday, Feb. 23.

Lutheran came out hot, but Bowling Green made the adjustments to their man coverage and began to battle back.

KateLynn Charlton stepped up with a pair of buckets which turned into three point plays as Lutheran began to pick up fouls early. A third basket by Charlton brought Bowling Green within two at the end of the first, 13-11.

The Lady Cats poured on the pain in the second quarter. Deters connected with Bilhartz to tie the score to kick off the period.

Lutheran snagged the lead two more times as buckets by Kaylyn McKee and Bilhartz put Bowling Green in the lead at 3:30 of the second and that’s where stayed.

Bilhartz knocked down four baskets in the frame in addition to a three-pointer by Deters and buckets by Early and Kinley Charlton to outscore 17-7 in the second. The Lady Cats led 28-20 at halftime.

Lutheran switched to zone defense in the second half. Kinley Charlton scored a pair of baskets in the third and Madeline Norton sank a three-point shot. The team scored points from buckets by Bilhartz and Kinley Charlton and free throws from KateLynn Charlton and Early.

Bowling Green once again took it to Lutheran to amass their largest lead of the night of 14 points, 41-27 at the end of three quarters.

Lutheran clawed their way back in the final frame. Several steals by Deters and a layup secured the win despite some trouble at the free throw line. KateLynn Charlton was the steady hand as both teams ran into foul trouble. Lutheran had to foul for possession. Charlton was 3-4 to lock down the lead. The Lady Cats were 12-28 from the charity stripe and Lutheran was 7-18. Lutheran outscored Bowling Green 13-7 in the fourth but only cut the lead to four points. The Lady Cats came out on top 48-40.

Coach Megan Aubuchon admitted she had to steady her nerves since earlier in the season Lutheran had come from behind to defeat Bowling Green. She said she reminded her players the game wasn’t over and to keep fighting all the way.

KateLynn Charlton racked up 13 points with three baskets and 7-10 at the line. She was named the Community State Bank TribCast Player of the Game. In a interview following the win she noted that going to the championship and hoisting the district banner has been a team goal since the season started.

Bilhartz knocked down 12 points (10 of those in the second quarter), Deters notched seven, Kinley Charlton scored six, Early had five Norton scored three and McKee had two on offense. They also suffocated teams with their high octane defense.

Most fans knew to expect a low scoring game in the championship but the defense of both teams brought scoring to a virtual halt.

Only one basket was scored in the entire first quarter. With just over two minutes remaining in the first Christian’s Abby King managed to battle through the Lady Cats’ defense but that was it.

Scoring was limited in the second quarter as well.

King scored again to start the frame. Gracie Stugart added a free throw in the second. Gabi Deters knocked down all three buckets for Bowling Green in the second. Her last basket came with just 30 seconds remaining she put the Lady Cats on top 6-5 for halftime.

Bowling Green changed up the game plan in the third. Deters sent a stong pass deep inside to KateLynn Charlton who sank the first basket of four she would make in the period. She scored 10 in the third after sinking a pair of free throws. At one point the Lady Cats were up 14-5.

Kourtney Markham and Stugart each scored three-point plays and Grace Kinsey added a basket to pull the game back in striking distance. Bowling Green led 16-13 at halftime.

Jaylen Early scored the first basket of the fourth quarter. Markham scored a couple of free throws before hitting a three-pointer to tie the score at 18. Stugart put the Lady Eagles on top for the first time since the first quarter, 20-18. Deters tied the score with a couple of free throws. Christian took the lead two more times and appeared to have the game as they went up 25-23 with just 16 seconds remaining. That was plenty of time for Deters to bring the ball down the floor and drop in a layup to knot the score at 25 to force overtime.

Caitlin Bilhartz hit two big free throws to start the OT period. Markham tied the score but another basket by Bilhartz and two free throws by Deters sealed the win 31-27 and knocked off the top seed in the tournament. Bilhartz and Deters were named the Community State Bank TribCast Players of the Game.

Deters led scoring with 14, Charlton had 11, Bilhartz had four in the overtime period and Early ended the game with two points.

The Lady Cats will move on to face District 8 champion Clark County at Moberly Area Community College on Wednesday night.

SEMIFINAL

The Lady Cats battled through (2) Lutheran St. Charles in the semifinal on Wednesday, Feb. 23.

Lutheran came out hot, but Bowling Green made the adjustments to their man coverage and began to battle back.

KateLynn Charlton stepped up with a pair of buckets which turned into three point plays as Lutheran began to pick up fouls early. A third basket by Charlton brought Bowling Green within two at the end of the first, 13-11.

The Lady Cats poured on the pain in the second quarter. Deters connected with Bilhartz to tie the score to kick off the period.

Lutheran snagged the lead two more times as buckets by Kaylyn McKee and Bilhartz put Bowling Green in the lead at 3:30 of the second and that’s where stayed.

Bilhartz knocked down four baskets in the frame in addition to a three-pointer by Deters and buckets by Early and Kinley Charlton to outscore 17-7 in the second. The Lady Cats led 28-20 at halftime.

Lutheran switched to zone defense in the second half. Kinley Charlton scored a pair of baskets in the third and Madeline Norton sank a three-point shot. The team scored points from buckets by Bilhartz and Kinley Charlton and free throws from KateLynn Charlton and Early.

Bowling Green once again took it to Lutheran to amass their largest lead of the night of 14 points, 41-27 at the end of three quarters.

Lutheran clawed their way back in the final frame. Several steals by Deters and a layup secured the win despite some trouble at the free throw line. KateLynn Charlton was the steady hand as both teams ran into foul trouble. Lutheran had to foul for possession. Charlton was 3-4 to lock down the lead. The Lady Cats were 12-28 from the charity stripe and Lutheran was 7-18. Lutheran outscored Bowling Green 13-7 in the fourth but only cut the lead to four points. The Lady Cats came out on top 48-40.

Coach Megan Aubuchon admitted she had to steady her nerves since earlier in the season Lutheran had come from behind to defeat Bowling Green. She said she reminded her players the game wasn’t over and to keep fighting all the way.

KateLynn Charlton racked up 13 points with three baskets and 7-10 at the line. She was named the Community State Bank TribCast Player of the Game. In a interview following the win she noted that going to the championship and hoisting the district banner has been a team goal since the season started.

Bilhartz knocked down 12 points (10 of those in the second quarter), Deters notched seven, Kinley Charlton scored six, Early had five Norton scored three and McKee had two.

Comments are closed

Text Description

Text Description

Text Description

Log in | 2017 The People's Tribune