Lady Rams Bid Adieu At Pana Regional

Katelyn Duckett Advances in 3-Point Showdown

JOHN CURTIS - Daily Union Sports Editor

The under-manned, under-sized and under-aged Shelbyville Lady Rams were expected to play their final game of a very long 6-18 season at the Pana 2A Regional on Monday. Despite the upcoming welcome break, the never-say-die Rams (6-18) squeezed every second out of their final 32 minutes, frustrating St. Anthony (17-7), even as they went down in defeat, 42-27.

St. Anthony got the tip, but the Ram zone frustrated the Dawg offense. The Ram defense forced a travel on the first post possession and the Rams got the ball. However, the St A "me -and-my-shadow" man -to-man defense frustrated the Rams offense. Those defenses would dictate to the offense for three quarters.

No one scored for 2:24 of the first, and only then, when St A got a Ram to trip and the loose ball went for a fast break two.

The Rams answered right back. St A fouled Cinnae Martin in the post, then on the inbound they fouled her again. She made 1-of-2 foul shots, 2-1 after 3:00. A Ram post trap, allowed Sammy Hendrix to tie-up the ball and get possession. On the next St A possession, Katelyn Coleman stripped the ball.

Shelby had a good look at a trey for a possible 4-2 Ram lead, but it wouldn't go down. St A's Naomi Gray drove and got fouled. She made both shots, 4-1. That primed the pump for the Bulldogs. They scored on an inbound 3-pointer and led 7-2 with a minute left in the first.

St A made a put back two with 30 seconds left to lead, 9-1. The Rams had time to score. Coleman drove and was fouled. On the inbound, the Rams turned it over with 7.6 seconds left. St A had plenty of time to score, but when they tried to drive, the Ram defense collapsed and Katelyn Duckett stole the ball. Three Bulldogs started chasing her. She couldn't get the shot off before the buzzer, but she broke free to stymie the last second shot attempt by St A.

The second quarter saw the Dawgs get inside a couple of times and then take advantage of the Ram zone for a 16-4 run. Victoria Wolke drove and got a score, 11-1. After a 5-second call, Wolke sat outside the zone and drained a trey, 14-1. The Rams played good defense inside, but not perfect. St A got another put back two, 16-1.

Martin got a step on the St A man-to-man, but missed in traffic. She got her own rebound and missed, got her own rebound again and scored, 16-3. St A then sat outside the zone and buried three straight 3-pointers to boost themselves to a 25-3 lead.

Martin cut towards the basket with 2:00 left in the period and the Rams got the ball to her and she scored again, 25-5. Defense and misses ruled the final minute of the half.

Ram defense continued to hold down the Dawg scoring in the third and the Rams were able to match them 6-6 in the quarter. Maggie Brown, Lena Grunloh, and Leah Dalmier had solo twos. Katelyn Duckett matched St A by herself.

Duckett split 1-of-2 at the line, then sank a triple under pressure from the top of the key and was fouled. She couldn't convert the 4-point play. With just 30 seconds left in the period, she got a step and Duckett drove to the hole and scored.

St A missed a trey with a few seconds left and Martin, who had 8 rebounds, got the board to deny St A again. She got it to Duckett, but, there wasn't enough time to get a shot off. Shelby still trailed by 20 points at the end of three, 31-11.

The Rams were not able to break free much in the first three quarters, But with 5:00 left in the fourth, they came alive. Brooke Eisenbarth started off the fourth getting a steal off a trap. Eisenbarth then blocked a shot on ST A's next possession. St A got a fast break two, 33-11. Hendrix denied a lay-up and took the foul and Wolke made both shots, 35-11. Gray stole the ball and was fouled. She made the front end of a 1-and 1 and it was 36-11 with 5:30 left to play.

Martin became the center of attention for 30 seconds. She drove under duress and missed. She came right back with post defense and got the turnover. Martin then cut to the basket and scored two, 36-13.

With 5:00 left in their season, Shelby got busy and scored 60 percent of their points. Grunloh scored inside, 38-13. After a Shelby time-out at 4:26, St A put in their substitutes. Finally competing against players their own age, it was like a green light for turning up the Ram effort.

Martin took the ball into the post, put on a turnaround move and scored, 38-15. The "D" forced a travel, then Duckett drove and was fouled. She made 1-of-2, 38-16. St A made a long two, 40-16. After a Ram miss, Duckett (4 steals) stole the ball from the Dawgs.

Katelyn Coleman got a rebound and was defended. She missed, but got her own rebound and was fouled. She made 1-of-2, 40-17. St A split a pair at the stripe, 41-17 with 2:30 to play.

With 2:00 to play, Ranae Julius stole the ball for Shelby and was fouled on the fast break. Julius made both ends of a 1-and-1 to cue a Ram 10-1 run to finish their season.

After the free throws, Shelby put on the press. Duckett got a steal and was fouled. She made 1-of-2. Duckett stole the ball again and got it to Julius on the block for two, 41-20. The Rams pressed again and Martin was fouled. She missed the front end of a 1-and-1, but Eisenbarth got the rebound and a foul. Eisenbarth made 1-of-2 shots on the super bonus, 41-23.

ST A got a foul with 1:22 left, but missed both shots. The Rams missed, but on the St A inbound, the Rams forced a travel. The Rams turned it over and fouled. St A capped their scoring with 1-of-2 free throws with a minute to play, 42-23.

Shelby missed a shot and St A got the ball. But, Julius stole the ball, was knocked off balance, went to the ground and had the prsence of mind to call time-out. Shelby missed a shot with 30 seconds left and St A got the board. The Rams trapped again and Julius got the ball and another basket, 42-25.

The Rams forced another turnover and Julius was fouled. She went to the line and, as cool as a mountain stream, she splashed them both, 42-27. With 5.3 seconds left, Coach Eisenbarth told the Rams not to foul and the buzzer sounded, ending the Rams season, as they went down swinging.

Katelyn Duckett advanced in the 3-Point Showdown prior to the game. She made the most 3-pointers of all the shooters. She made eight. She will shoot again against other shooters on Wednesday night to try to advance further.

Pana 2A Regional

St. Anthony 42, Shelbyville 27

St A 9-16-6-11--42

Shelby 1-4-6-16--27

Ram stats: Cinnae Martin 9 (4 FGs, 1/3 FTs), 8 rebounds, 3 steals; Ranae Julius 8 (2 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), 3 rebounds, 1 block; Katelyn Duckett 8 (1-2, 1-3 pt FGs, 3/7 FTs), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals; Katelyn Coleman 1 (1/2 FTs), 3 rebounds, 2 steals; Brooke Eisenbarth 1 (1/2 FTs), 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks; Sammy Hendrix 4 rebounds. Team FGs 6 (1-3 pt: Duckett). Team FTs 10-of-18. Rebounds 27. Steals 11. Blocks 3. Turnovers 26.

St A stats: Victoria Wolke 15 (2-2s, 3-3 pt FGs, 2/2 FTs), Amber Wenthe 6 (2-3 pt FGs), Lena Grunloh 6 (3 FGs), Naomi Gray 3 (3/6 FTs), Claire Willenborg 3 (FG, 1/2 FTs), Maggie Brown 2 (FG), Kelly McHugh 2 (FG), Jenny Schmidt 2 (FG), Leah Dalmier 2 FG, 0/1 FTs), Laren Horn 1 (1/2 FTs), Sami Boggs (0/2 FTs). Team FGs 15 (5-3 pt: Wolke 3, Wenthe 3). Team FTs 7-of-13. Rebounds 22. Steals 11. Blocks 3. Turnovers 17.

*Watch for web updates and the Daily Union print edition for complete story, stats and photos.

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