Jackson girls basketball team turns back Central 54-35

~ The Indians held Central to two points in the second quarter in a 54-35 win

Dru Haertling drove to the basket and flipped in a shot just before the buzzer to end the first quarter Tuesday.

That shot gave Jackson a lead after the opening period and ignited the Indians.

Jackson's defense suffocated Central in the second quarter, which launched the Indians past the Tigers 54-35 at the Show Me Center.

"She hit that layup, kind of knocked the wind out of our sails," Central coach Sherri Shirrell said. "We threw the ball away a couple times. Things we talk about -- take care of the ball."

Central’s Chelsea Vinson blocks a shot by Jackson’s Emily Davidson during the fourth quarter Tuesday at the Show Me Center. (Laura Simon)

The Tigers (13-8) only managed two points in the second period. They came on a pair of free throws by Alayah Cooper-Johnson with 3 minutes, 28 seconds left before halftime.

"We went to a little bit of a zone, which could have thrown them off because they probably haven't seen us play it much," Jackson coach Tyler Abernathy said. "I thought we played it really well. I thought we were really active up top. We rebounded the ball well. I thought there in the first quarter, they got quite a few offensive rebounds. We kind of shored that up in the second quarter, and that kind of hurt them."

The Tigers went 0 of 8 from the field and turned over the ball eight times in the second quarter. Central went a span of 10 minutes, 30 seconds between field goals.

"We just knew we had to get our energy up a little bit more and start helping a little bit more," Jackson junior Danielle Daume said about the improved defense.

The teams traded the lead three times in the first quarter, but Jackson (14-7) snatched the advantage when Haertling scored the last four points of the quarter. That was the beginning of a 15-0 run by the Indians.

Central cheerleaders fix the net during Tuesday’s game at the Show Me Center.

Jackson attacked inside and outside. Connor King scored 14 points inside, while the Indians connected on seven 3-pointers, including four from Daume.

"They were really trying to take Connor away inside, so that was opening it up outside," Daume said. "We had good ball movement."

King had two stretches where she scored in bunches. The first came in the second quarter when she scored eight points during a 3 1/2 minute span. The second spurt came late in the third quarter when she converted back-to-back buckets.

"I think it had a lot to do with Cape," Abernathy said. "There were a couple times where they had two or three girls in there around her, which allowed us to get some of those open shots. Then we hit a few and then she'd get a little more room. Then, you know, she'd score a little bit and then it was kind of vice versa. They'd go back to being in there and we'd hit a few more. I thought she did a good job of taking what the defense gave her and being that presence we need."

Daume said the Indians' outside shooters must convert when the defense collapses on King. Jackson did a good job Tuesday. It went 7 of 18 (39 percent) from 3-point range.

"We have to or we get sagged in if we don't start hitting shots," Daume said.

Haertling played a big role in sparking the Indians' offense. The Tigers focused on trying to stop her from penetrating, which opened up teammates. Haertling scored 15 points, but she also dished off to open teammates, who converted easy layups.

"I kind of notice the gaps and I notice when the defense shifts," Haertling said. "I think [my teammates] can hit shots easy. It's just a matter of me making a good pass or not. They're good shooters."

Haertling's passing to open teammates contributed to the Indians shooting 45 percent from the field over the first three quarters.

"For her to get everybody involved is almost just as important as for her to score because we know she's going to be able to get her shots," Abernathy said. "When you create shots for other people, it gets them more confidence. They get easier shots. It creates foul opportunities."

Jackson looked poised to earn a running clock in the fourth quarter when it went ahead by 29 points on King's last basket of the game with 6:27 left in the contest. But the Tigers put together a 14-0 run to make things interesting.

"We handled the ball a little bit better and of course we knocked down some shots," Shirrell said.

Apple Thomas, who finished with eight points, drained two 3-pointers during the run to help the Tigers close within 15 points with 2:12 left, but they couldn't get any closer.

"I don't think we were nervous, but we were frustrated because we were getting sloppy with the ball," Haertling said.

Haertling and Daume led the Indians with 15 points apiece, while Cooper-Johnson paced the Tigers with 14 points.

Jackson 12 18 18 6 -- 54

Central 10 2 9 14 -- 35

JACKSON (54) -- Connor King 14, Dru Haertling 15, Rachel Hodo 6, Danielle Daume 15, Rachel Crites 2. FG 22, FT 3-6, F 14. (3-pointers: Daume 4, Hodo 2, Haertling 1. Fouled out: none)

CENTRAL (35) -- Allie Hardesty 2, Alayah Cooper-Johnson 14, Bailey Kratochvil 3, Tori Scheller 2, Apple Thomas 8, Chelsea Vinson 6. FG 11, FT 10-17, F 9. (3-pointers: Kratochvil 1, Thomas 2. Fouled out: none)