29-point fourth quarter sink Pirates against Bismarck

The Perryville girls basketball team wasn’t able to complete the comeback as they lost to Bismarck 59-55 at home on Wednesday, Jan. 17, in Perryville, Missouri.

Aby Amberger led the Pirates with 16 points, while Janie Porter and Lucy Wibbenmeyer each scored 11 points. The Pirates made five baskets from the three-point line and went 12-of-17 from the free-throw line.

Brooklyn Moll has been the leading scorer for most of the season but was battling an illness and could only muster six points in the fourth quarter. Perryville head coach Jason Dreyer said having Amberger step up to lead the Pirates was huge for them.

“She’s been really good offensively with Brooklyn struggling with her sickness,” Dreyer said. “She was aggressive but I really wanted her to be more aggressive.”

The Indians were led by Ashley Hawkins, who scored 20 points, followed by 16 points from Haile Dickey and 11 points from Lilly Davis. Bismarck made four three-pointers and went 11-of-22 from the free-throw line.

The Pirates made it a close game in the final minute. Porter put up a three-pointer to have Perryville within three points with 48 seconds to go. After a free-throw was made by the Indians, Zoe Hoehn drained a basket from the three-point line to make it a one-point game with 21 seconds left. The Indians made enough free throws at the end to seal the game.

Both Porter and Wibbenmeyer scored six points in the first half to give Perryville a 23-22 halftime lead. The Pirates extended that lead to 38-30 entering the fourth quarter after outscoring the Indians 13-8 in the third quarter. Bismarck came back with a 29-point fourth quarter to take a 47-45 lead with four minutes remaining and ultimately winning the game.

“They scored 29 points in the fourth quarter and if I had to guess, probably 15-20 of them were off offensive rebounds,” Dreyer said. “We did not do a very good job of blocking out.”

Before Wednesday’s loss, Perryville (9-5) won eight of its last nine games, after starting the season 1-3.

The Pirates will travel to Festus on Thursday, Jan. 18, and will later return home to take on Sikeston on Monday, Jan. 22.