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With both teams fresh off an appearance in the semi-state last year, it’s no surprise that Friday night’s meeting between the Whitko and Columbia City girls basketball teams was played in front of a full house. Those in attendance were treated to a fantastic game, as both teams held leads, the game stayed within single digits the entire time and a plethora of highlight plays were made. In the end, it was the Lady Eagles who used a dominant fourth quarter to come back and come away with a 51-48 win.
Reese Stonebreak got off to a hot start for her team in this one, scoring Whitko’s first four points of the night. After giving up the first three points of the night, the Lady ‘Cats seemed to wake up instantly, scoring the next eight. Following the four straight by Reese, junior Kyra Lowe added a pair of makes herself to force an early timeout by the Lady Eagles.
Lowe continued to have the hot hand after the break, scoring the next four for the home side to give her eight points in five minutes. On the other side of the court, Columbia City was beginning to find its offensive rhythm. After trailing for a majority of the opening period, a three-point play by Anisa Tonkel put the visitors back in front in the final two minutes.
The Lady ‘Cats were unable to capitalize on their hot start, going scoreless in the final three minutes of the first. The Lady Eagles took full advantage, and a last-second shot by Isabella Knitter put the visitors up by five heading into the second.
A layup from Reese Stonebreaker followed up by a pair of free throws by her sister Jayma ended the Whitko drought two minutes into the period. Looking to give their opponent a taste of their own medicine, the Lady ‘Cats were pressing full court and forcing Columbia City to make mistakes. They were taking full advantage, as two straight turnovers turned into five points to tie the game.
A triple by Jayma midway through the second put her team back on top. Now, it was the Lady Eagles in the midst of a scoring struggle, having gone three plus minutes without a bucket. As was the case in the first period though, the Lady ‘Cats were unable to capitalize on this opportunity, and it remained a one-possession game as the final two minutes before the half began.
Just five points were scored in those 120 seconds, a pair of free throws by the visitors and Jayma’s second three of the quarter. After a nine-point edge in the second, Whitko took a four-point lead into the break.
Whitko senior Reese Stonebraker makes a quick move to the basket during Friday night's home game against Columbia City...Nieter
The Lady ‘Cats extended their lead to seven, its largest of the night thus far, in the first 90 seconds of the third quarter. Like the period prior, it was the home defense creating easy offense on the other end. For one stretch, it felt as if the ball remained on Whitko’s side of the court for over a minute.
After an exciting start to the second half, things slowed down dramatically once again. With their opponents on the ropes, the home side once again was unable to go on the extended run to put them away. Midway through the quarter, a deep make by the visitors made it a two-point game.
With momentum starting to favor Columbia City, junior Ally Brown came up big with a layup and a three from the top of the key to swing things the other way. After being held scoreless in the first half, Brown had eight big points in the third quarter.
With the pace really beginning to pick up again during the final minutes of the period, Whitko continued to do a great job of coming up with stops and forcing turnovers on the defensive end. With just eight minutes to play, the Lady ‘Cats had a six-point lead to protect.
Within a minute of the fourth quarter starting, the advantage had been cut down to just two. A minute later, it was tied. The Lady Eagles didn’t stop there, taking the lead back a possession later as the home side was in the middle of another scoring drought.
It wasn’t until the four-minute mark of the fourth that a pair of free throws by Brown finally put Whitko on the scoreboard. Following the makes at the charity stripe, the home side had multiple opportunities to jump back in front now trailing by one, but were unable to do so. With a little over two minutes left in the game, a massive triple in the corner by the Lady Eagles made it a four-point edge for the visitors.
With less than 30 seconds to go in the game, Columbia City held a six-point lead. Things looked to be just about wrapped up before a three pointer by Reese cut that lead in half with 14 seconds left. To make things even more interesting, the Lady Eagles struggled to inbound the ball following the make, leading to a jump ball that gave the ball right back to Whitko. With 10 seconds left, they’d have one chance to tie.
After a few seconds of aimless passing, head coach Justin Jordan called timeout with just under four seconds to go. Jayma got the final look at the buzzer, but the Columbia City defense was there to come up with the game-clinching block.
Whitko (1-1) will travel to Churubusco Saturday.
