The 13th Rivertown Classic was unlucky for the Switzerland County Lady Pacer varsity basketball team, but although the Lady Pacers fell to Lawrenceburg in the tournament’s consolation game on Friday, there’s plenty to be positive about as the young squad heads into the second half of their season.
Freshman Brooke Todd had an outstanding game on Friday, finishing with 15 points in the game to earn All Tournament team honors.
The game featured the Lady Tigers putting the pressure on the Switzerland County ball handlers with a full court press and lots of substitutions; but the Lady Pacers handled the pressure well, and after converting some easy buckets, the Lawrenceburg coaching staff called off the pressure.
After Lawrenceburg opened the game with a basket, Bre Ricketts raced down the baseline to tie the game for Switzerland County; and after the Lady Tigers scored again, Eve Galbreath tied the contest with a short jumper.
The Lady Tigers then converted a pair of freethrows by Riley Brunner and a three pointer from Jodi Offutt, and after one quarter Lawrenceburg led by a 9-4.
Hailee Lay opened the second period with a basket for Switzerland County, but Lawrenceburg came right back with a freethrow by Kennedi Willis and a basket by Alexis Fussnecker to swell the lead to 12-6.
Kelsi Konkle then hit a baseline jumper to stop that run, and moments later Brooke Todd’s runner in the lane cut the lead to two.
Again Lawrenceburg responded, going on a run of six straight points over a two minute span.
Down by eight, Hailee Lay drilled a three pointer that put the Lady Pacers right back in the contest; and Brooke Todd’s put back cut the lead down to three with 11-seconds to play in the half.
The Lady Pacer defense couldn’t hold, however, and Riley Brunner’s basket at the halftime buzzer sent both teams to the lockerroom with Lawrenceburg holding a 20-15 advantage.
Switzerland County opened the second half with a run, getting a basket from Eve Galbreath and a pair of freethrows from Brooke Todd to cut the lead to just a point. Lawrenceburg responded with baskets from Alexis Fussnecker and Amber Budd; but when Brooke Todd made a short jumper and then followed that with a traditional three point play, the game was tied at 24-24 with 2:26 to play in the quarter.
The Lady Tigers got back in front with baskets by Alley Schmidt and Amber Budd, but another three point play by Brooke Todd drew Switzerland County back to within a point.
Again the Lawrenceburg offense took over at the period closed, and the Lady Tigers got baskets from Alex Gilb and Lauren Hill as the quarter closed, giving them a 32-27 lead with eight minutes to go.
The lead expanded to seven as Lauren Hill scored again to open the fourth quarter; but the Lady Pacers responded with a freethrow from Brooke Todd and a basket by Eve Galbreath to draw to within four.
Lawrenceburg then got a big lift, as Alexis Fussnecker hit a three pointer; but Switzerland County kept plugging along, getting a basket from Kelsi Konkle and a freethrow from Hailee Lay to get back to within four with four minutes to go.
Abbey Schmidt hit a basket for the Lady Tigers, but Eve Galbreath again scored inside. Mercedes Parham then followed that with a pair of freethrows, and when Eve Galbreath made two freethrows moments later, the game was tied at 39-39 with just 50-seconds to play.
With just 17-seconds remaining, Lawrenceburg’s Riley Brunner broke the tie when she converted a pair of freethrows; and with nine seconds to play, Lady Pacer Bre Ricketts made one freethrow to draw Switzerland County to within one; but the Lady Tigers got a freethrow from Abbi Sampson with a second to play that made the final score 42-40 in favor of Lawrenceburg.
Brooke Todd led the Lady Pacers with 15 points on the night, while Eve Galbreath was also in double figures with 10. Hailee Lay had an outstanding all around tourney, adding six points in the consolation game, and Kelsi Konkle had four. Bre Ricketts had three points, and Mercedes Parham chipped in two.
Freshman Makenzie Mathews, who’s play critical minutes for the varsity this year, did not play in the game due to illness.
Alexis Fussnecker led Lawrenceburg with nine points.