Fort Scott girls overcome cold shooting

INDEPENDENCE -- During one long stretch that began late in the first quarter and extended into late in the third here Friday night, Fort Scott High School's girls made just one of 24 field-goal attempts.

But while the Tigers were missing shots, they were making free throws and playing good defense. And despite their woes, they managed to rally and take the lead going into the fourth quarter against Independence in Southeast Kansas League play. Then when they found their shooting touch in the fourth, they were able to hold off a late Indy rally to preserve a 40-36 victory.

The Tigers were just 4 of 38 (11 percent) from the field through three quarters. But they made 21 of 35 free throws on the night, forced 21 turnovers and outrebounded the Bulldogs, 43-30.

Neither team got on the board until the 3:20 mark of the first quarter when Indy's Anna Hignight made a 3-point shot. The Tigers (3-1 SEK, 3-4 overall) fought back from a 6-1 deficit to tie the score by the end of the period.

Hignight's 3-point goal sparked a 7-2 run at the end of the half for Independence (1-4, 2-6), which went into the locker room with a 21-13 lead. The 'Dogs held the Tigers without a field goal (0 for 10) in the quarter while making 6 of 9 shots themselves.

Kylie Ewing gave Indy an 8-point lead, 23-15, moments into the second half. But that turned out to be the Bulldogs' only score of the quarter.

Katren Rienbolt broke an 0-for-14 stretch for the Tigers when she made a jumper. Even though Fort Scott remained cold from the field, it began to catch up from the free-throw line.

Jillian Lattimer's basket with under a minute remaining ended the dreadful 1-of-24 streak and brought the Tigers within a point. She gave her team a 24-23 lead with one second left by making a pair of free throws.

Brianne Lawrence made a basket to start the fourth quarter and Rienbolt broke a team 0-for-10 slump from behind the 3-point arc moments later to make it 29-23 with 6:13 left in the contest.

Sidney Maycumber and Rienbolt made back-to-back baskets to put the Tigers up 37-27 with 2:30 left. They had more field goals in the quarter at this point (5) then they had in the first three stanzas combined.

But Indy rallied, as Hignight, Sierra Marquez and Abbie Roth each made 3-point shots to bring the 'Dogs within 37-36 with 39 seconds to go.

Indy never scored again. Rienbolt made 3 of 5 free throws and Maddi Allen blocked an attempted shot by Marquez with just under 10 seconds to go as the Tigers preserved their third straight victory.

Rienbolt led Fort Scott with 13 points while Lattimer added 10. Those two combined to make 14 of 17 free-throw attempts. Hignight led Indy with 13 points.

FORT SCOTT: Tourtillott 0 1-2 1, Shoemaker 0 0-0 0, Allen 0 2-4 2, Sh.Maycumber 0 0-0 0, Rienbolt 3 6-8 13, Floyd 0 0-0 0, Cook 2 1-2 5, Si.Maycumber 2 2-2 6, Lawrence 1 1-6 3, Lattimer 1 8-9 10. TOTALS: 9-48 21-35 40.

INDEPENDENCE: Welch 1 0-0 2, Ewing 4 0-0 8, Hignight 4 2-2 13, Roth 1 0-0 3, Yakshaw 0 0-1 0, Marquez 2 -01 6, Cox 0 0-2 0, Reynolds 0 0-0 0, Matthews 2 0-0 4, McGrath 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 14-39 2-6 36.

Independence....... 6 15 2 13 -- 36

Three-point field goals: Fort Scott 1-12 (Rienbolt), Independence 6-14 (Hignight 3, Marquez 2, Roth).

Total fouls: Fort Scott 12, Independence 20. Fouled out: Yakshaw.