JOHN CURTIS - Daily Union Sports Editor
Courtney Myers knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner with 21 seconds left to break a 46-46 tie, then sealed the win with two free throws with four seconds left as CHBC (1-1) knocked off Central A&M; (1-1), 53-48 in Moweaqua on Thursday night.
Myers only had eight points, but most of that came with the game on the line. She also hit a triple in the big second quarter CHBC run that got them back in the game and got them the lead, after A&M; looked to swat the Hornets and run them out of the gym in the first 5:00.
A minute into the game, A&M;'s top scorer and versatile post player Shelby Jackson, got a put-back to draw first blood. CHBC went one and done and Aly Dial, the A&M; backside post, got a put back and made it 4-0. CHBC coach Carolyn Wendte had seen enough with both scores coming off second chance points and she called time-out.
Jackson blocked her second shot in two minutes and A&M; point guard Kerstin Kresin stopped and popped for two. CHBC missed their second three, but Hillary Shelton got the ball to Faith Wendte inside to get CHBC on the board, 6-2.
A&M; scored on a transition basket as Dial ran the floor, got the pass and the finish. CHBC turned the ball over and Jackson hit a 3 from the corner for an 11-2 lead after just four minutes.
Faith Wendte was fouled by Jackson inside and shot two picture perfect free throws. However, Jackson came right back and posted high, then threw low to Janie Howse for an easy two and a 13-4 lead. CHBC was on the ropes, but sprung right back when Shelton connected from beyond the arc on the wing, 13-7.
A&M; wasn't done. Jackson rang up a three, this time from the key, 15-7. Jackson split a pair at the line and the lead was nine, 16-7. Breeanna Strauch came in off the bench and gave CHBC some instant offense. She drove around the horn and in for two on an inbound play. After an A&M; turnover, she buried a long two, four points in 30 seconds.
The lead was down to five, then A&M; picked up a loose ball and scored, making it 18-11 after one.
CHBC had an uphill climb, but they got right to it in the second, going on an 18-6 run. Jackson was getting a rest and CHBC freshman shot blocker Micah Jones came in.
Without Jackson on the floor, Kelsey Barnes drove, scored and was fouled. She didn't convert the 3-point play, but the lead was five again. Myers took a charge and got CHBC the ball. Faith Wente was fouled on a put back and made the throws like they were automatic, 18-15.
Kresin stole the ball and took it to the house, 20-15. Jones then picked up a charge and Shelton was fouled, putting CHBC in the bonus. She sank both free throws, 20-17.
Jones then defended a shot inside, followed by blocking a shot and then committing a foul all on the same A&M; possession as she patrolled the paint. She then blocked a shot and CHBC came away with the ball. Doty took the ball in transition and went coast to coast to make it a 1-point game, 20-19. CHBC had outscored A&M; 8-2 in two minutes.
A minute later Shelton dialed in from the corner and was charged for long distance, giving CHBC the lead, 22-20. CHBC added to the lead when Faith Wendte stopped and popped and was fouled. She stayed perfect at the line for the, 24-20, CHBC lead.
A minute and a half later Jackson hit a jumper in the lane, but Shelton drove and hit a bank shot, 26-22. Barnes added 1-of-2 from the line, then Dial was fouled while scoring. She didn't convert so it was a 3-point CHBC lead, 27-24.
Strauch came back in and went coast to coast and scored with 12 seconds left in the half. Barnes stole the ball at the end of the half and CHBC, down seven at the start of the period, had a 5-point lead, 29-24.
In the third, the pendulum swung back A&M;'s way, but not until after Doty canned a trey from the corner for a 7-point lead, 31-24. Jones and Jackson were on the floor at the same time and Jones fouled Jackson in the paint. Then Jones stole the ball from Jackson and Shelton made a fast break two, 33-24, the largest Hornet lead of the night.
At that point, 6:00 left in the third, A&M; went on a 10-3 run to end the quarter tied. Carisa Burge sank two free throws, and Dial got another put-back two, bringing a CHBC time-out. Shelton launched a trey out front, ka-boom, but CHBC wouldn't score in the final 4:15 of the period.
Amanda Collins scored on an A&M; fast break, Jackson scored a two, Howse got a put-back and Jackson hit another short jumper in the lane to tie with 11 seconds left, 36-36.
In the fourth period, all the runs had been used up and all that was left was a gut check for 8:00. Jones got a put back for a 38-36 lead, but then Jones fouled Jackson and she made both foul shots, 38-38. Shelton was fouled with 5:21 to play and made both shots, 40-38. Jones split a pair at the line and the CHBC lead was three, 41-38.
Jackson scored on Jones, but then Jones scored on Jackson, 43-40. Kresin received a long pass in transition and scored, closing it to one, 43-42. Barnes made 1-of-2 at the stripe and it was 44-42. Jackson worked in the post, put on a move and scored for the tie, 44-44 with 2:00 to play.
Jackson missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 1:30 to play and Shelton went coast to coast for two, 46-44. A&M; made a Howse call to tie, 46-46. With 1:06 remaining CHBC worked the ball, then worked the ball again in the half-court. Eventually, Myers was alone in the corner, Shelton got her the ball and she buried it, 49-46 with 23 seconds left. A&M; called time.
They double-dribbled out of the time-out and gave the ball away. They pressed and Barnes was fouled. She missed two, then Burge hit a jumper in the lane, making it a 1-point game with seven seconds left, 49-48. A&M; pressured and knocked the ball out, 5 seconds left.
CHBC almost had a five second call on the inbound when the the ball was thrown long past half court and Myers grabbed it. Immediately, she was pulled down and was given the intentional foul. With four seconds left she made both free throws for a 3-point lead, 51-48.
Because of the intentional foul, CHBC got the ball back and Doty was fouled with one second left. She made both free throws for the 5-point win.
"It was a big win for us tonight," said CHBC coach Carolyn Wendte. "We beat Central A & M on their floor. We are still having too many unforced turnovers, but overall we showed improvement from our first game."
In their first game, CHBC lost a game they could have won at South Central, missing a lot of free throws. This game they made 16-of-23 to win by five in the last minute.
In A&M;'s first game, they beat another NTC team, Neoga, by six points at home, surviving a second half comeback by the Indians. This time, despite runs in the first and third, A&M; came up short in the second half.
Varsity
CHBC 53, Central A&M; 48
CHBC 11-18-7-17--53
A&M; 18-6-12-12--48
CHBC stats: Hilary Shelton 16 (3-2s, 2-3 pt FGs, 4/4 FTs), Courtney Myers 8 (2-3 pt FGs, 2/2 FTs), Faith Wendte 8 (FG, 6/6 FTs), Breeanna Strauch 6 (3 FGs), Bailey Doty 6 (2 FGs, 2/2 FTs), Micah Jones 5 (2 FGs, 1/2 FTs), Kelsey Barnes 4 (FG, 2/7 FTs). Team FGs 16 (3-pt: Shelton 2, Myers 2). Team FTs 16-of-23.
A&M; stats: Shelby Jackson 20 (6-2s, 1-3 pt FGs, 5/6 FTs), 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 4 assists, 7 blocks; Kerstin Kresin 8 (4 FGs), 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists; Aly Dial 8 (4 FGs, 0/1 FT), 7 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block; Janie Howse 6 (3 FGs), 4 rebounds, 1 steal; Carisa Burge 4 (FG, 2/2 FTs), 1 steal, 2 assists; Amanda Collins 2 (FG), 2 rebounds, 1 assist. Team FGs 20 (3-pt: Jackson). Team FTs 5-of-9. Rebounds 23. Steals 12. Assists 12. Turnovers 13. Blocks 8.
CHBC varsity (1-1) and JV (2-0) open their home season on Monday against Casey-Westfield.
CHBC won the preliminary game, 41-33, after posting a 29-11 half time lead.
JV
CHBC 41, A&M; 33
CHBC 11-18-2-10--41
A&M; 2-9-8-14--33
CHBC stats: Strauch 9 (2 FGs, 5/8 FTs), Autumn Riley 8 (4 FGs), Ava Paruleski 6 (FG, 4/6 FTs), Jones 6 (3 FGs), Myers 5 (2 FGs, 1/2 FTs), Monica Gardner 4 (FG, 2/4 FTs), Katlynn Kersey 3 (FG, 1/3 FTs). Team FGs 14. Team FTs 13-of-23.
A&M; stats: Bailey 6 (3 FGs), Hoffman 6 (2-3 pt FGs), Townsend 5 (1-2, 1-3 pt FGs), Senger 5 (2 FGs, 1/2 FTs), Bond 4 (2 FGs), Adcock 2 (FG, 0/2 FTs), Graven 2 (FG, 0/1 FTs), Cox 2 (FG), Waddington 1 (1/2 FTs), Renfro (0/4 FTs). Team FGs 13 (3-pt:Hoffman 2, Townsend). Team FTs 4-of-13.
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