The Switzerland County Lady Pacer varsity basketball team started slowly and never found its offensive footing last Wednesday night, falling to South Dearborn in the first round of the Rivertown Classic tournament by a final score of 43-25.
The Lady Pacers fell into an early deficit. After Alyssa McClanahan scored to open the game for South Dearborn, Switzerland County got on the board with a jumper by Kinsley Griffith to tie the game.
But that led to a run of 10 straight points by the Lady Knights, and Switzerland County didn’t recover until Calleigh Powell scored inside with 41-seconds left; and the quarter ended with South Dearborn on top, 12-4.
After Kyrstin Bond scored to open the second stanza for South Dearborn, Switzerland County saw Aleiah Thomas getting rolling offensively. Her basket matched Bond’s score; but Bond and McClanahan answered that with a basket each; and Thomas scored again to stop that run. The Lady Knights then got a field goal and a three-pointer by Bond, and with 3:27 to play until the half, South Dearborn had opened up a 23-8 margin.
Switzerland County responded with a three-pointer by Thomas and another field goal by Griffith that cut the lead down to 10; but again South Dearborn responded, getting a three-point play by Brooke Huddleston to make the score 26-13 at the break.
The third quarter was a frigid one for both teams, as Switzerland County managed just six points while South Dearborn had just five.
Thomas had four of the Lady Pacers points in the stanza; while Jody Breeck had the other field goal.
Down 31-19 entering the fourth period, Switzerland County again lost its offense as the final eight minutes began.
South Dearborn reeled off 10 straight points over the first 6:30 of the quarter, with Bond accounting for six points; McClanahan had a field goal; and Bryanna LeGreca contributed two freethrows.
Switzerland County didn’t score in the period until Keirstan Oeffinger connected on a three-pointer with 1:18 to play; and after LeGreca scored again, the game came to an end with McKenli Scudder hitting a three-pointer for Switzerland County at the buzzer.
The final score: South Dearborn 43, Switzerland County 25.
Thomas led the Lady Pacers in scoring with 11 points; while Griffith had four points. Oeffinger and Scudder each had three points; while Breeck and Powell each contributed two points.
South Dearborn was led by Bond with 19 points; while McClanahan was also in double figures with 12.
The loss put Switzerland County into the consolation game of the tournament, where the Lady Pacers played Rising Sun. The Lady Shiners fell in the other semifinal game on Wednesday night to Lawrenceburg by a score of 57-51 in overtime.