Okaw Valley Girls Falls To Heritage

JOHN CURTIS - Daily Union Sports Editor

Okaw Valley competed, but lost to Heritage in a rescheduled contest on Wednesday, 52-43. Okaw hung tough and was just a pace off at the break. They hung tough again in the third, but then faded late as Heritage pulled away.

Okaw Valley's top scorer, senior Rachel Marshall, and Heritage's top scorer, Lindsey Nickelson, both scored 21 points. Okaw's second scorer, Ariel Rothrock, had nine points and Heritage's second scorer, Bailey Griffin, had nine points.The similarilties ended there. Heritage had four more scorers with 22 points and the five other Okaw scorers had just 13 points.

Heritage hit just a few more shots from the floor and from the line and it was enough to get the 8-point win over the Timberwolves.

The two teams were even after one, but Heritage got two extra buckets in the second to lead at the break, 25-21. Okaw went at Heritage in the third and was able to cut the lead to one possession going into the final frame, 37-34. It was anybody's game in the final 8:00, but Heritage asserted themselves, getting a 15-9 run that left Okaw trailing at the finish line.

Rachel Marshall scored twice early and Sarah Burch dialed in from long distance for seven first quarter points. Nickelson also scored four points early, a two and 2-of-2 at the line. Shelby Reed added a bucket and Hillary Smith added 1-of-2 from the stripe to knot the two teams at 7-7.

Heritage got a bump in the second. Nickelson made a two, then the rest of her 11 points in the period came on a triply of treys. Smith rang the 3-bell and Reed and Bailey Trimble added solo two for 18 points.

Okaw also had their best quarter in the second. Marshall scored three times, all deuces, then went to the line four times, making 3-of-7 shots for nine points in the period, herself. She also got help from beyond the arc in the second, solo trey from Keshia Newton. However, Okaw got just two more points in the period, a 2-of-2 trip to the line by Jasmine Pierce. Heritage's 4-point ad in the second gave them a 4-point ad at the break, 25-21.

Ariel Rothrock put on an aerial display in the third, by knocking down a pair of 3-pointers. Those missiles, added to Marshall's two deuces, Jessica Krutsinger's solo two and Pierce's 1-of-2 foul shooting gave Okaw 13 points and shaved a few hairs off the Heritage lead in the third.

Heritage got just 12 points in the period. Nickelson scored twice, Griffin scored twice and Lauren Jeffers and Trimble had solo twos.

The Okaw effort served notice to Heritage that they would fight to the end. Although, Okaw's fight held Nickelson to just two points with the game on the line, their fight also ended up putting Heritage at the line in the fourth period.

Nickelson was 2-of-2, Jeffers was 2-of-5, Griffin was 3-of-4 at the line and Reed was 2-of-3 at the line. Altogether, Heritage was 9-of-15 in the final 8:00.

Okaw, in contrast, shot just six free throws late, making 4-of-6. Amanda Hyett made 2-of-2 foul shots and Marshall 2-of-4. Rothrock added her other 3-pointer to record a trey hat trick and Marshall had a solo two as the only other Okaw field goal late.

Okaw out-shot Heritage at the arc, but Heritage out-shot Okaw at the line and from 2-point range.

Okaw Valley was to finish up the regular season on Thursday at Martinsville. Okaw will play in the Sullivan Regional on Monday. The #5-seed T'Wolves will play #4-seed Meridian at 7:30 p.m.

Heritage 52, Okaw Valley 43

Heritage 7-18-12-15--52

Okaw 7-14-13-9--43

Okaw stats: Rachel Marshall 21 (8 FGs, 5/11 FTs), Ariel Rothrock 9 (3-3 pt FGs), Keshia Newton 3 (FG), Jasmine Pierce 3 (3/4 FTs), Sarah Burch 3 (FG), Amanda Hyett 2 (2/4 FTs), Jessica Krutsinger 2 (FG). Team FGs 14 (5-3 pt: Rothrock 3, Newton, Burch). Team FTs 10-of-19.

Heritage stats: Lindsay Nickelson 21 (4-2s, 3-3 pt FGs), 4/4 FTs), Bailey Griffin 9 (3 FGs, 3/6 FTs), Shelby Reed 8 (3 FGs, 2/3 FTs), Hillary Smith 6 (1-2, 1-3 pt FGs, 1/2 FTs), Bailey Trimble 4 (2 FGs), Lauren Jeffers 4 (FG, 2/5 FTs), Stephani Sanderson (0/1 FTs). Team FGs 18 (4-3 pt: Nickelson 3, Smith 1). Team FTs 12-of-21.

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

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