Rolla uses late fourth quarter run to win Lady Cat Classic championship

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By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)

Eventually, every program faces the dreaded rebuilding season.

Many thought Rolla would enter that scenario this season, after the Lady Bulldogs graduated a senior class that featured three players now suiting up at the college level.

Rolla coach Charley Parker didn’t see it that way.

“A lot of people thought we would drop off because we lost so much,” Parker said. “What I saw last summer with this group and the way we play defense, push the ball up the floor, hit shots and trust in one another, I see that this group is just as good as any other group I’ve coached.”

The new-look Lady Bulldogs continue to prove their coach right.

Rolla earned a hard-fought 52-51 win over Strafford in Friday’s night Lady Cat Classic championship game at Logan-Rogersville High School.

In a matchup of state-ranked teams, Class 5 Rolla used a late fourth-quarter run to take the lead for good and later survived as Strafford missed a potential game-winner at the buzzer.

Junior guard Resa Martin led a balanced Rolla squad with 14 points. Five Lady Bulldogs scored seven or more.

“Being a senior and this being our third year in the championship game at this tournament, it’s a great accomplishment to come out with the win,” said Rolla senior Jessica Pritchett, who had eight points. “It’s my last ride, so it feels really good.”

At 14-3 overall, the Lady Bulldogs (ranked No. 6 in the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Class 5 state poll) are on pace for their fourth 20-win season in five years.

“You come down here and play a team that’s traditionally strong and has a good culture like Strafford, you’re going to have to earn it if you beat them,” Parker said. “This just helps us down the road.”

Rolla’s doing it with a new style – less size and methodical play, more guards and up-tempo – but their winning standards haven’t waned.

“Just being a part of this program in general has been a great experience for me,” said junior point guard Kori Alcorn, a transfer from nearby St. James High School. “The competition is so high level. Strafford’s a really good team. To be able to come together as a team and come away with this win, it was pretty cool.”

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME

Friday marked the third straight season that Rolla and Strafford have met in the finals of the Lady Cat Classic.

The decisive rubber match was the best one yet between the two schools separated by 100 miles along Interstate 44.

Alcorn’s three-point play with 1:43 remaining put Rolla ahead 52-47. She yelled emphatically after the play, something she’s become known for among teammates.

“Every time Kori goes in and she gets a finish and I see her laying on the ground and that whistle blows, I just know (that scream) is coming,” Pritchett said. “It’s that big flex. I just know, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re going now. We’re about to go on a run.’ It really is a booster.”

Alcorn embraces her role and doesn’t shy away from letting her emotions show on the court.

“I love getting hyped. That’s how I play – it makes me play better,” said Alcorn, who finished with 12 points. “And I love hyping up my teammates when they make a play. I feel like intensity is just what makes the game fun.”

Alcorn’s ensuing free throw on the three-point play turned out to be the difference in the game.

Strafford had multiple shots to take the lead in the final seconds – thanks in part to a Rolla turnover – but a floater in the lane was off the mark as time expired.

“It was an intense game,” Pritchett said. “Every time we play them, I’m ready to get after it and try to take the win. It’s definitely a rivalry, because as a smaller school they don’t have much to lose. And also Strafford being the great program that they are, it feels good to come down to their area and win.”

Freshman guard Elsie Larsen led Strafford (14-4 overall, Class 3 No. 1-ranked MBCA) with 12 points. The Lady Indians entered Friday night’s game on a seven-game winning streak.

“I told my girls there at the end, ‘Hey, if they hit the shot, don’t get down because you played your heart out tonight,” Parker said.

Rolla returns to conference action on Monday night with a trip to Glendale (14-4 overall).

Strafford returns to action on Monday night, hosting Willow Springs. The Lady Indians will host Class 6 No. 3-ranked Republic at home on Friday, Jan. 27.

Rolla 52, Strafford 51
Strafford 10 13 14 14 — 51
Rolla 10 13 15 14 — 52

Strafford (14-4 overall) – Elsie Larsen 12, Laney Humble 11, Sophia Frerking 10, Lauren Jones 8, Brooklyn Adney 6, Zoe Allison 4
Rolla (14-3 overall) – Resa Martin 14, Kori Alcon 12, Jessica Pritchett 8, Willow Gideon 8, Faith Coates 7, Brooke Bleckman 3

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