Picture by: Nick Henthorn
River’s Kelsey Harlan works round a defender on her method to the lane Monday in opposition to the Bellaire Large Reds. Harlan helped the Pilots to an OVAC 2A title with a 49-39 win over Bellaire on Monday.
HANNIBAL – River Excessive head coach Rick Isaly had a sense the Girl Pilots may expertise deja vu Monday night time at RL Potts Health club in opposition to a Bellaire staff that has by no means left.
For the second yr in a row, his staff had gained an OVAC 2A championship and hosted the Girl Large Reds two nights later. Nonetheless, River prevailed 49-39 this time, utilizing a powerful fourth quarter within the wheelhouse to win a season.
Final season, Bellaire handed a 20-1 document River membership its solely residence loss 45-44 of their assembly.
Isaly famous, “I used to be anticipating an upset after the ladies obtained the (OVAC) win, however this one was robust,” as River improved to 17-Three with a street check at Caldwell on Thursday.
“We weren’t getting the turnovers we needed defensively, however within the fourth we went man-to-man,” he added, because the hosts used a 17-Eight fourth-quarter result in draw back from 32- 31. lead after three.
“(Kaylee) Hagan had a superb recreation for us and made some huge photographs,” Isaly famous, because the junior had 18 factors and 10 rebounds. Ohio senior guard Kelsey Harlan was regular within the backcourt with 14 factors, six assists and 4 boards, whereas junior Reese Hobbs continued her stable late-season play with eight factors, 4 steals and three boards .
One of many keys to Bellaire’s success, based on Isaly, was “the flexibility to get in entrance of our defenders and end” on the glass. “I knew (Zara) Harveth and (Eliana) Mason have been two to observe,” because the Girl Reds pair had 20 and 11 factors, respectively. “We held them in examine (at Bellaire) earlier within the season (a 56-36 River win), however they have been tonight.”
Neither membership discovered their shot within the opening body, however after ties at 2, 5, 7 and 9, Girl Purple senior Allie Ault made a Three-pointer on the buzzer for a 12-9 lead.
Harlan discovered Hobbs beneath for a layup to open the second, and after Harlan went 1-of-2 on the line, a nook kick from Hagan and a Three from Harlan gave the Girl Pilots the lead 17-16 that they might by no means relinquish. .
Hagan’s layup from the lane put the hosts up 21-17, however once more the Reds struck at :00 when Mason banked in from Eight ft to chop it to 21-19.
Hobbs and Harlan pushed the result in 25-19 and it grew to 29-23 earlier than coach John Farrier’s membership got here again to tug even at 29-all on objectives by Sidney Rowson, Ault and Harvath. A Mason hoop lower it to 32-31 after 24 minutes.
“Pleased with our effort, however (River) performed slightly bit higher,” stated Farrier, whose 13-Eight staff visits Buckeye Native on Thursday in a regular-season finale. “(Harlan) is a prime-time participant. We tried to lure them, however River did a superb job and made it look simple.”
The Girl Pilots opened the fourth with a layup by Hagan and a drive from Zoey Fox, however Harveth, approaching 1,00zero factors for her profession, drained a Three-pointer to make it 36-34.
Harlan drove to the lane and served to Hagan for 2. Harveth muscled in for a layup, however Hagan and Fox scored back-to-back to push the margin to 44-36.
Bellaire closed to 44-39 with 1:19 left, however River used ball management and five-of-six taking pictures on the line to tug it out.
The winners, who honored Harlan, Emma Reed and Tessa Prim on Senior Night time, shot 38 p.c on 44 photographs, whereas the Reds have been 35 p.c on 42 makes an attempt.