Dragon girls drop Tigers in defensive battle, 28-22

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Just 20 total field goals were made by both teams combined Tuesday night as Pittsburg's girls won a defensive battle from Fort Scott High, 28-22, in Southeast Kansas League play at the FSHS gymnasium.

The Purple Dragons (5-2 SEK, 15-4 overall) went out to a 4-0 lead as Lizzy Willis scored the first two baskets of the game in the first three minutes. Then they were content to force the Tigers (4-3, 7-12) to miss shots the rest of the period.

Fort Scott missed its first 10 field-goal attempts of the game but Heather Karleskint's bank shot with 1:05 left in the first period brought the Tigers within 4-3.

Willis made another field goal to put Pittsburg ahead to start the second quarter. But Maddi Allen tied the score with a 3-point goal and Katren Rienbolt put Fort Scott ahead with 3:23 left in the half.

That lead, the Tigers' only one of the night, turned out to be short-lived. Six-two post Skyler Muff tied the score and Bethanne Elliott stuck back her own missed shot with 27 seconds left to give Pittsburg the lead at the half.

The Dragons extended the lead to 14-8 to start the third. But Brianne Lawrence's stickback as the buzzer sounded brought Fort Scott within 16-14 and Sidney Maycumber's stickback tied the score one last time as the fourth quarter started.

Mercedes Volgel hit her only basket of the night, a 3-point shot, to break the tie and the Dragons scored 11 of the next 15.

No one reached double figures in scoring. Willis and Muff scored 8 points each for the Dragons. Rienbolt led the Tigers with 6.

Pittsburg shot 32 percent from the floor, making 12 of 38 field-goal attempts. Fort Scott shot just 18 percent on 8 of 45.

Lawrence brought down 11 boards ad the Tigers outrebounded the Dragons, 40-31.

The Tigers will host Labette County Thursday night to conclude the regular season.

JUNIOR VARSITY -- Jillian Lattimer broke a tie score with two free throws with 1:11 to go, then Ericah Shoemaker blocked a shot, gathered in the rebound and took it in for a layup to give the Tigers some cushion as Fort Scott held on for a 44-42 victory. Lattimer scored 19 points.


PITTSBURG: Spresser 1-2 1-4 3, Vogel 1-2 0-0 3, Elliott 1-3 0-0 2, L.Willis 4-12 0-0 8, Muff 3-8 2-7 8, K.Short 1-3 0-0 2, Maxwell 0-2 0-0 0, A.Willis 0-2 0-0 0, Dee 0-0 0-0 0, Forrest 1-4 0-0 2. TOTALS: 12-38 3-11 28.

FORT SCOTT: Tourtillott 0-3 0-0 0, Shoemaker 0-0 0-0 0, Allen 1-5 0-0 3, Rienbolt 2-17 2-4 6, Shelton 0-3 1-2 1, Sd.Maycumber 1-9 0-2 2, Karleskint 1-1 0-0 2, Lattimer 2-2 0-0 3, Lawrence 1-5 2-4 4. TOTALS: 8-45 5-12 22.

Pittsburg........... 4 6 6 12 -- 28

Fort Scott.......... 3 5 6 8 -- 22

Three-point field goals: Pittsburg 1-1 (Vogel 1-1), Fort Scott 1-11 (Allen 1-4, Sd.Maycumber 0-1, Tourtillott 0-2, Rienbolt 0-4).

Total fouls: Pittsburg 12, Fort Scott 14. Fouled out: Forrest. Technical fouls: none.

Rebounds: Pittsburg 31 (L.Willis 9), Fort Scott 40 (Lawrence 11). Assists: Pittsburg 4 (4 with 1 each), Fort Scott 5 (Shelton 2). Turnovers: Pittsburg 13, Fort Scott 14. Steals: Pittsburg 8 (L.Willis 3), Fort Scott 6 (Tourtillott 2, Sd.Maycumber 2). Blocked shots: Pittsburg 5 (L.Willis 3), Fort Scott 2 (Shelton, Lawrence)