The Pender Girls came back from 12 down to top Stanton 40-32 in overtime on the road Saturday before defeating Clarkson/Leigh 51-31 in the D1-4 Sub-District Semifinals at Wisner-Pilger Tuesday night.
The Mustangs doubled up the Pendragons 12-6 in the first quarter before winning the second quarter 8-7 to take a 20-13 lead into the locker room.
Pender outscored Stanton 19-12 in the second half to send the game into overtime.
The Pendragons blanked the Mustangs 8-0 in overtime.
Amber English led the way with 16 points while Kam Anderson notched 11. Hallie Ballinger added 9 points and 13 rebounds.
The Pendragons tripled up the Patriots 12-4 in the first quarter before winning the second quarter 13-11 to lead 25-15 at halftime.
Pender outscored Clarkson/Leigh 17-6 in the third quarter to go up 42-21 at the end of three.
The Patriots put up 10 points in the fourth quarter compared to 9 for the Pendragons.
Pender was led by Ballinger, who had a game-high 13 points and 8 rebounds. English added 12 points while Anderson and Cecilee Jacobsen registered 11 and 7, respectively.
Head Coach Larry Ballinger. "That Clarkson team is just a scary team. I think they're just a well talented team with a lot of youth and a lot of upside. And I tell you what I was scared to death to play this team. With a young group of players like they have you don't know how they're going to come in. If they're just going to say what the heck let's let it fly or if they're going to come in and play tight. So I really talked to the girls about just getting after it, trying to put some pressure on them, and I thought we did a nice job. I thought we played about 28 minutes of really good basketball I thought."
The Pendragons (18-7) take on GACC (19-2) in the Sub-District Final Thursday night.
The Bluejays defeated Emerson-Hubbard 54-17 Tuesday night.
Ballinger says GACC will be tough. "Yeah we definitely got our work cut out for us Thursday. They're just a well rounded, very athletic team. And so we'll have to come in and play really well to even stay in the game with them."
The Bluejays are currently number one in Class D-1 in power points. Pender could get a wildcard to state should they lose, but all of teams ahead of them except 1 at most would need to win in order for the Pendragons to qualify for the state tournament.
These two teams met last Monday in West Point with GACC winning 50-32.
I anticipate and expect Thursday night's game will be much closer than that though.
I feel Pender is a much better team than what they showed against the Bluejays the first time around, and has shown it in their last two games.
I feel the Pendragons have rediscovered their groove and are coming on again at the right time.
It could take a near perfect game for Pender to beat GACC, but I think the Pendragons definitely have it in them.
Win or lose Thursday night, Pender deserves to be at the state tournament.
This is a very good team that has played a really tough schedule, and hopefully they are rewarded with a wildcard if they lose to the Bluejays.
The Pendragons have to be tough inside, and limit the likes of Maddie Knobbe, Lauren Wobken, Lexis Haase, and Hannah Hunke.
Ballinger has to stay out of foul trouble, and Anderson, Jacobsen, English, and others have to find ways to knock down jump shots from the outside.
GACC is a perennial power who has been a fixture at the state tournament for the last two decades, and is pretty much guaranteed a trip there again, win or lose.
I would say Pender needs this one more in terms of making the state tournament, but the Bluejays aren't known for having to rely on the wildcard so things certainly won't be easy for the Pendragons.
Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. on 107.9 the Bull.
No comments:
Post a Comment