Jackson back on top with HealthSouth title

Jackson's girls basketball team never trailed Tuesday night in a 49-40 win over Farmington at the Show Me Center in the finals of the HealthSouth Holiday Classic.

It was the Indians' first HealthSouth Holiday Classic title since the inaugural tournament in 1996. Farmington was making its first appearance in the finals in its fourth year in the tournament.

"I'm really proud of our girls," Jackson guard Kate Loos said. "We've been working hard in practice, and we're really coming together as a team."

While the Indians (8-1) never trailed, the game was hardly a breeze. Jackson jumped out to a 8-2 lead, but Farmington slowly chipped away and cut the lead to 11-9 after the first quarter.

Cassis Tiefenauer tied the score at 11 for Farmington, but that would be the only tie for the Knightettes. Ashley Bartels responded for Jackso byn scoring the Indians' next six points. At halftime, Farmington was down 22-18.

"The girls were kind of feeling each other out," Jackson coach Sam Sides said. "Neither team was loose."

Jackson stepped up its defensive pressure in the second half, and just as they did in Monday's game against Notre Dame, the Knightettes struggled to get the ball up the court. The Indians created several easy baskets and went on a 9-0 run capped off by a Jennifer Ferrel 3-pointer.

"Coach told us if we played hard on defense and really wanted it, we'd be successful," Loos said.

Farmington was able to get the ball up the court as the third quarter wound down, but the damage was done. Jackson's lead would not dip below five points the rest of the game.

"We didn't execute very well," Farmington coach Steve McFarland said. "Our shooting could have been better."

Bartels scored an early basket in the fourth to put Jackson up 37-28, but Jessica Arnold responded with a 3-pointer for Farmington. Bartels' basket was the last field goal the Indians would score.

Down by six points, Farmington started to get aggressive on defense and tried to create turnovers. Their aggressive defense created more free-throw attempts than steals.

Sides said he has a lot of confidence in his team when opponents try to pressure them down the stretch.

"We can handle the ball, and we can make free throws," he said.

Jackson lived from the free throw line the last two minutes of the game. The Indians were 12-of-12 from the free throw line down the stretch.

Bartels was six-of-six from the line in the fourth and finished 9-of-12 from the line in the game. Bartels finished with a game-high 21 points.

"Ashley's been starting more or less since she was a freshman," Sides said. "She been in a lot of big games."

Bartels, along with Linden Hahs, were selected for the all-tournament team. Hahs finished with nine points in the championship game, and Bobbie Jones added 10. Farmington was led by Katelyn Peterson with nine points.

Jackson has won six straight games after a loss to Poplar Bluff in the semifinals of the Farmington Tournament. Jackson will get another chance at the Mules when they return from Christmas break with a Jan. 5 game at Poplar Bluff.

"We're going to get better as the season goes along, I think," Sides said.

jjoffray@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 171