Pittman propels Central girls past Bluff

~ The senior guard's late steal, basket lifted Central to a 48-46 win

Sadie Pittman made big play after big play.

She saved her best for last.

Pittman stole the ball with 15 seconds remaining in the game and hit the game-winning jumper to cap a stellar performance and lift her Tigers over Poplar Bluff 48-46 on Thursday night.

"That was big," Pittman said. "It felt so good. I wanted it, and took control and threw it up softly."

Central's Sadie Pittman attempts to drive past Poplar Bluff's Dennisha Rice during the first quarter.

Central (12-5, 2-0) has failed to get off to a good start in its most recent games and Thursday was no exception.

The Mules' Ruthie Johnson buried back-to-back 3-pointers, scored a lay-in and converted the free throw to put Poplar Bluff ahead 9-1 in the game's first minutes.

"We hit some shots," Mules coach Kirk Chronister said. "We kept them from rebounding early on."

Tigers coach Sherri Shirrell said her team has struggled to come out strong in previous games.

"I think we finally realized you have to come out and play hard in the beginning," Shirrell said. "The last couple of games we were coming out slow. It took them a minute tonight, but they got in a rhythm."

Central's Chelsea Pannier drives against Poplar Bluff's Marissa Webb, left, and Ruthie Johnson during the first quarter.

Indeed they did.

Down 11-3, Central's Chelsea Pannier buried a 3-pointer, hit a free throw, and Paige Smith scored a bucket to cap a 6-0 run that drew the Tigers to 11-9.

"We did a good job of getting up," Mules guard Abbie Ivie said. "But we sat back and relaxed. You can't do that against a good team like Cape. We had too many mistakes."

The Mules (11-8, 0-2) opened a 15-11 lead entering the second quarter.

Poplar Bluff opened the second quarter with a fury.

Courtney Knuckles hit a shot, the Tigers' Smith answered with a basket, then Johnson and Ivie rattled off back-to-back baskets to give the Mules a 20-13 lead.

Enter Pittman.

The senior guard rattled off seven straight points -- two jumpers and a 3-pointer -- to tie the game at 20-20.

"Sadie's a great ballplayer," Chronister said. "She's improved from last year. She could dribble well last year, this year she can step back and hit 3-pointers. She's a good player."

The teams traded baskets before the Mules took a 24-22 lead into halftime.

Central came out of halftime and quickly took its first lead of the game.

Smith's free throw with 5:50 remaining in the third quarter gave Central its first lead at 27-26.

The teams traded baskets for most of the second half from there.

The Mules took a 36-34 lead into the fourth.

In the fourth, Pittman came up big.

Chelsea Vinson gave Central a 40-38 lead minutes into the fourth quarter, but the Mules' Johnson and Knuckles responded with baskets to go up 42-40.

Re-enter Pittman.

She tied the game at 42-42, then Knuckles countered with a basket, but Pittman answered again to tie the game.

She had a game-high 22 points.

"She's been outstanding this year," Shirrell said of Pittman. "She's really been putting us on her back and carrying us. She's always been a great point guard and she's becoming a great scorer as well."

After Poplar Bluff's Dennisha Rice sliced through the lane for a layup to take a two-point lead, Pittman nailed two free throws with 1:12 left to tie the game.

The Mules' plan was to stall for the last minute, and it was working perfectly until Pittman made a play.

With 15 seconds remaining, Pittman swiped the ball away at half court. She raced down the court and hit a short jumper along the baseline to give the Tigers a 48-46 lead with 7 seconds to go.

The Mules called a timeout, but Johnson's contested layup at the buzzer was no good and the Tigers held on.

"Cape was outstanding," Chronister said. "They rebounded and several stick-backs. They did a good job executing and we just had too many mistakes."

Smith added 10 points and Vinson added eight for Central.

The Mules were led by Johnson's 14 points. Ivie and Knuckles both added 10.

Poplar Bluff 15 9 12 10 -- 46

Central 11 11 12 14 -- 48

POPLAR BLUFF (46) -- Ruthie Johnson 14, Dennisha Rice 8, Abbie Ivie 10, Marissa Webb 4, Courtney Knuckles 10. FG 21, FT 2-4, F 13. (3-pointers: Johnson 2. Fouled out: none)

CENTRAL (48) -- Starr Harris 4, Chelsea Pannier 4, Sadie Pittman 22, Paige Smith 10, Chelsea Vinson 8. FG 18, FT 9-17, F 13. (3-pointers: Pannier 1, Pittman 2. Fouled out: none)