The last time Okaw Valley girls played Villa Grove, they were beaten by 13 points. On Monday, the Timberwolves closed the gap, but still fell short by six, losing, 42-36.
Villa Grove was a smidge better in two of the four periods, and the Villa Grove scorers had just a few more points than their Okaw counterparts. Even then, the T'Wolves had a chance at home to knock off Villa Grove. But they couldn't convert their free throws.
Villa Grove out-scored Okaw by six early and by two in the fourth. Okaw had a 1-point advantage in the second and third, not enough to offset the Blue Devils advantages.
The Devils top scorer had 16 points and Okaw's, Rachel Marshall, had 13, just missing a double-double, adding 9 rebounds. VG's second scorer had eight and Okaw's second scorer, Sarah Burch, had seven. VG had three sub-scorers tally 12 points and Okaw had two scorers tally eleven. Advantage Villa Grove.
Yet, the T'Wolves had 20 free throw attempts to 14 for Villa Grove. Despite, the Villa Grove advantages, if both teams made of all their free throws, the game would have ended in a tie. Okaw just couldn't cash in at the stripe. They missed 13 free throws in a 6-point loss.
Smith scored 7 of her 16 points in the first quarter to lead Villa Grove to a 13-7 lead. Okaw scattered their seven points among four players. Keshia Newton and Burch had solo twos, Ariel Rothrock sank 2-of-2 free throws, and Amanda Hyett 1-of-2 throws to trail by six.
In the second, Okaw nipped the Devils by a point. Marshall scored twice from the floor and made 1-of-4 free throws.Jasmine Pierce scored once and Rothrock got to the line again, making 1-of-2 free throws and cut the deficit to five points at the break, 20-15.
The T'Wolves nipped Villa Grove in the third by one point, as well. Marshall scored twice and Burch scored twice, one of those a 3-point play. Pierce and Jessica Krutsinger made solo twos to total 13 points. Villa Grove scored a dozen, mostly from the floor. Okaw was down just four points heading into the fourth, but they had already missed 11 free throws.
In the fourth, Villa Grove got the upper hand and denied the Okaw comeback. Smith bruied a three for the Devils and split a pair at the line, while Courtney Helm and Amanda McCollom scored from the floor and Sheyenne Hearn made 2-of-2 at the line for ten Devil points. Rothrock connected from beyond the arc in the fourth for the only Okaw trey and Marshall scored twice. Pierce made 1-of-2 free throws, but the T'Wolves were still behind at the buzzer.
On Thursday, Okaw Valley hosts an improved Arthur team for Sr. Night.
Okaw Valley
Villa Grove 42, Okaw Valley 36
V.G. 13-7-12-10--42
Okaw 7-8-13-8--36
Okaw stats: Marshall 13 (6 FGs, 1/8 FTs), 9 rebounds, Sarah Burch 7 (3 FGs, 1/1 FTs), Ariel Rothrock 6 (1-3 pt FG, 3/4 FTs), Jasmine Pierce 5 (2 FGs, 1/2 FTs), Keshia Newton 2 (FG), Jessica Krutsinger 2 (FG), Amanda Hyett 1 (1/5 FTs). Team FGs 14 (1-3 pt : Rothrock). Team FTs 7-of-20.
V.G. stats: Smith 16 (4-2s, 2-3 pt FGs, 2/4 FTs), Helm 8 (3 FGs, 2/2 FTs), McCollom 4 (2 FGs, 0/1 FTs), Hearn 4 (4/4 FTs), Bishop 4 (2 FGs), Behl 2 (FG), Dowler 2 (GH), Kopp 2 (2/2 FTs), Turner (0/1 FTs). Team FGs 15 (2-3 pt:Smith 2). Team FTs 10-of-14.
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