CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS
Reeds Spring had taken command of the game with an 8-0 run to close the first-half with a 30-19 lead. The athletic duo of 5’8 junior guards, Autumn Flaugh and Danielle Curnes had already scored double figures with 12 and 10 points respectively at halftime. The teams traded baskets for most of the third quarter and the Lady Wolves established a 39-27 lead on a pull up jumper by Curnes with 1:59 left in the quarter.
The Lady Irish have a talented backcourt duo of their own and it was their time to shine down the stretch. 5’3 sophomore Chelsea Collins and 5’3 junior Emma Thomas combined to score 29 of the final 33 points of the game for the Irish. Collins had 20 points in the fourth quarter alone and ended the night with 35. Thomas added 14, with 6 coming in the explosive final quarter. Springfield Catholic would outscore Reeds Spring 30-11 in the last stanza.
“I’m really proud of the team and how we kept our heads in the game and stayed focused,” said Collins. “I wasn’t making shots in the first-half, but my teammates kept me confident.”
First year Lady Irish coach Josh Miller made a defensive change that paid huge dividends in the second-half.
“We were struggling with our man to man defense, our 2-3 zone and our 1-3-1 zone,” said Miller. “Reeds Spring penetrated really well on us in the first-half, so we changed our man-to-man up a little and started trapping them. We got steals on three straight possessions and capitalized on them with a couple of layups and some free throws.”
“We played a great first-half. In the third quarter we might have relaxed a little bit. What hurt us mainly in the fourth quarter was the fouls adding up and forcing us to be a little less aggressive,” said Reeds Spring coach Scott Spooner. “Catholic did a great job making free throws. We’ve got to be better at playing defense with our feet, not our hands even late in the game when the fatigue sets in.”
With their fifth straight victory the Lady Irish are now 3-0 in Central Ozark Conference play and 9-12 overall. Reeds Spring is now 0-2 in conference and 8-12 overall.
Scoring by quarters:
Reeds Spring 11 19 9 11 - 50
Catholic 12 7 11 30 - 60
Individual scoring:
Reeds Spring: Autumn Flaugh 20, Danielle Curnes 15, Megan Rasmussen 11, Joey Ash 2, Sydney Mason 2.
Catholic: Chelsea Collins 35, Emma Thomas 14, Madison Robertson 7, Megan Loethen 2, Elise Roeder 2.
JV game: Reeds Spring 18 Catholic 17
E-Mail
Print
