MANHATTAN — As Osborne took a lead, Berean Academy continued to scratch back.
However, the Bulldogs outscored Berean Academy 10-3 over a 2 minute, 32 second stretch of the fourth quarter to claim a 59-56 win over the Warriors in the Class 2A girls state basketball tournament consolation game at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan Saturday.
Despite getting 22 points from senior Janelle Rust, the Warriors (21-5) had difficulties with turnovers and rebounding against Osborne (20-6).
“I think the turnovers and rebounds stand out the most,” said Berean head coach Kristen Wiebe. “We gave up way too many second-chance shots.”
Berean overcame a 9-0 first quarter run by Osborne with a 14-0 run of their own into the second quarter with a buzzer-beating, 35-foot 3-pointer from Rust to close out the first quarter.
“At the end of every half, they just give me the ball and they have complete trust in me,” Rust, who will play next year at Division II University of Mary, said. “I really didn’t even think about it, I just shot the ball.”
The Warriors held Osborne without a field goal from the 1:51 mark of the first quarter until 4:46 left in the second quarter. However, Osborne erased a 4-point Berean lead with back-to-back baskets from Jordyn
Sturgeon and Katie Wolters, tying the game 18-18 midway though the quarter.
The Bulldogs retook the lead with a 3-pointer from Paige Noel. From there, neither team gained more than a 1-point advantage with Osborne holding a 27-26 halftime lead.
The Bullddogs went from shooting a near-50 percent clip in the first quarter to just 35.7 percent in the half, whereas Berean was 9-of-21 from the field for 43 percent.
In the second half, the lead continued to change hands — 5 times — but Wiebe was not satisfied with her starters and elected to pull them with the game tied at 31.
“I just didn’t feel like they were giving a lot of effort,” Wiebe said. “We told them we needed that effort.”
Osborne appeared to get the upper hand as they used a pair of Berean turnovers to go on an 8-0 run, taking a 39-35 lead, but the Warriors stormed back.
A lay-up from Makalya Ladwig and a free-throw by Kayla Wilgers cut the lead to 1 until Emily Girard put Osborne up 41-38 with a lay-up at the buzzer.
OSBORNE (59) — Jordyn Sturgeon 5-13 2-4 12, Megan Burch 4-5 2-6 10, Katie Wolters 3-9 2-3 10, Paige Noel 2-9 4-7 9, Andrea Cady 4-5 0-0 8, Emily Girard 3-8 0-0 6, Taylor Thibault 0-0 2-2 2, Sasha Worley 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 22-50 12-22 59.
BEREAN ACADEMY (56) — Janelle Rust 8-17 4-5 22, Mallory Zuercher 6-12 2-2 14, Kayla Wolgers 3-9 3-4 10, Makayla Ladwig 1-2 2-2 4, Libby Witte 1-1 0-0 2, Kristin Khosravipour 1-2 0-0 2, Angela Entz 1-2 0-0 2, Carrie Wiebe 0-0 0-2 0. Totals: 21-45 11-15 56.
Osborne 14 13 14 18 — 59
Berean 12 14 12 18 — 56
3-point goals — Osborne 3-11 (Wolters 2), Berean 3-14 (Rust 2). Rebounds — Osborne 32 (Sturgeon 10), Berean 33 (Witte 7). Turnovers — Osborne 18, Berean 25. Assists — Osborne 8, Berean 3. Total fouls — Osborne 16, Berean 22. Fouled out — none. Technical fouls — none.
El Dorado, Kan. —
