SportsNovember 30, 2023
Saxony Lutheran holds off Sikeston's late charge
NEW MADRID, Mo. — Sikeston refused to back down, nearly mounting an improbable comeback from an 18-point second-half deficit to Saxony Lutheran in the consolation bracket of the SEMO Conference Tournament but ultimately fell short in a 55-50 down-to-the-wire contest on Wednesday, Nov. 29...
By Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat
NEW MADRID, Mo. — Sikeston refused to back down, nearly mounting an improbable comeback from an 18-point second-half deficit to Saxony Lutheran in the consolation bracket of the SEMO Conference Tournament but ultimately fell short in a 55-50 down-to-the-wire contest on Wednesday, Nov. 29.
"It was a hard-fought battle, just as we expected,” said Sikeston coach Vaughn Shephard. “Saxony is a well-coached, hard-working, and physical team, and we knew we'd need to make smart decisions to overcome their strength. I'm incredibly proud of our girls. They didn't let their heads drop when we faced that big deficit; they showed heart. I'm so proud of them for fighting.”
The seventh-seeded Lady Bulldogs (2-4) established an early 9-6 advantage, courtesy of a 3-pointer by Landri Hammontree and a couple of inside baskets by Marlie Crook. The lead didn't last long, however, as the Crusaders (2-1) countered with back-to-back scores in the post by Evie Caruso to make it 11-9.
Sikeston regained its footing with a pair of free throws from Kennedi Sims to tie the game at 14-14, but Caruso secured an offensive rebound to give the Saints a 16-14 edge heading into the second quarter.
Sims' alert steal set the stage for a layup by Landri Hammontree, tying the game at 16-16 but the second quarter saw a shift in momentum as Saxony Lutheran asserted their dominance, gradually building a lead that would prove difficult to overcome.
Timora Criddle drained a three-pointer and Maci Hollis and Maddie Preusser contributed two baskets each. By halftime, the Crusaders had established a commanding 30-21 advantage.
The third-seeded Crusaders started the second half on a 12-3 run that further widened their lead to a18 points.
The Lady Bulldogs found themselves in a deep hole, their early promise seemingly fading away.
However, a spark of defiance ignited within the Sikeston squad. Alex Segers emerged as a beacon of hope, converting a pair of baskets, including a clutch three-pointer, that began to chip away at the deficit.
Hammontree added consistent free throw shooting, bringing the Lady Bulldogs back within 11 points by the end of the third quarter.
Sikeston's resilience was evident as the team continued to chip away at the lead.
Hammontree, a sparkplug for the Lady Bulldogs, continued her consistent scoring, her basket narrowing the gap to a single digits.
However, Saxony Lutheran demonstrated its composure and patience, refusing to be rattled by the relentless pursuit.
The Crusaders methodically moved the ball around the perimeter, patiently waiting for the right opportunity to strike. With textbook execution, they found their target in Caruso, who had positioned herself perfectly under the basket for a timely entry pass and her inside bucket restored the double-figure advantage.
“That’s a huge basket for us,” said Saxony Lutheran coach Chris Crawford. “We were starting to feel the pressure. Our arms started getting a little tight and we were missing some shots. But when we get the ball into [Caruso], move the basketball well, and get what we want out of it, we’re a pretty good team.
It’s when we don’t value possessions that we get into trouble.”
A determined drive by Sims narrowed the lead to single digits once again, and Segers, undeterred by contact, added another basket to further chip away at the deficit.
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With 34.5 seconds remaining, Sikeston found themselves within striking distance, trailing by just three points after Crook converted a pair of clutch free throws.
The Lady Bulldogs' defense also tightened up, with Crook providing four blocks in the final three minutes.
“[Crook] has been doing that since last year,” Shephard said. “She’s aggressive this year and we’re working on her controlling her defense and not getting in foul trouble. Those plays were key for us when we were trying to make the comeback. She showed her heart and work ethic.
“[Sims] show poise,” he continued. “She minimized her mistakes tonight. She was smarter with the ball and made good decisions. Hammontree also played well tonight. She was still able to move, get open and create her shots and opportunities for teammates against a box and one and being face-guarded. Segers also made some shots we desperately needed.”
Saxony Lutheran, however, refused to let Sikeston's valiant comeback effort derail their victory. With the clock ticking down, Caruso and Abigail Haley calmly stepped to the line, each sinking two free throws to secure the 55-50 victory.
“We were lucky to get away with that one,” Crawford said. “We played three pretty good quarters and then we played a little timid and scared for one quarter. Hats off to Sikeston and coach Shephard for coming back after being down pretty big. I liked how for the first three quarters we were able to control the basketball. We played good defense, we rebounded and we ran our offense and got a lot of easy baskets during that time.”
Hammontree scored a game-high 17 points, while Segers added 12 and Crook contributed 11.
Caruso led the Crusaders with 16. She was followed by Hollis and Presusser with 10 each.
“We almost came back and won a ball game against a quality opponent, but credit to Saxony because they didn’t let that happen,” Shephard said. “I’m just proud of the girls. It seems like when you count them out, they’ll prove you prove. They’re going to continue doing that. We’re going to be a different team by the second half of the and we’re going to surprise a lot of people because these girls work hard.”
Saxony Lutheran advances to play fourth-seeded Cape Central (1-2) in the consolation championship on Friday, Dec. 1 at 5:30 p.m.
Sikeston defeated eighth-seed New Madrid County Central (0-4) with a score of 62-38 on Tuesday, Nov. 28. It was the second time in three days the Lady Bulldogs beat the Lady Eagles.
Sikeston travels to Ballard County (Paducah, Kentucky) on Monday, Dec. 4.
__SAXONY LUTHERAN 55, SIKESTON __
Sikeston 14 7 15 14 — 50
Saxony 16 14 17 8 — 55
Sikeston (50) — Landri Hammontree 17, Alex Segers 12, Marlie Crook 11, Kennedi Sims 6, Kelly Coaker 3, Faith Calvin 1. FG: 16. FT: 16-21. F: 17. (3-pointers: Hammontree 1, Segers 1. Fouled out: none).
Saxony Lutheran (55) — Evie Caruso 16, Maci Hollis 10, Maddie Preusser 10, Camille Richey 4, Timora Criddle 3, Annie Adams 2. FG: 23. FT: 7-12. F: 19. (3-pointers: Criddle 1, Caruso 1. Fouled out: none).
__SIKESTON 62, NMCC 38__
NMCC 6 13 12 7 — 38
Sikeston 17 17 20 9 — 62
NMCC (38) — Jordan Maltbia 8, Kyrstin Gorden 7, Rozellyn Brooks 6, Desting Hughes 5, Alayah Blair 4, Aubrey Aycock 4, Makaylin Ranson 4. FG: 17. FT: 4-12. F: 16. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none).
Sikeston (62) — Kennedi Sims 22, Landri Hammontree 17, Alex Segers 15, Marlie Crook 4, Dontaysia Gipson 2, Kelly Coaker 2. FG: 25. FT: 10-15. F: 14. (3-pointers: Hammontree 1, Segers 1. Fouled out: none).
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