Scott City girls basketball team salvages tournament win in 7th-place game vs. Crusaders

~ Scott City posted a 44-31 victory

The Scott City girls basketball team has had trouble putting complete games together so far this season.

Scott City coach Ricky Keller thought the Rams finally did that Thursday when they salvaged a win in the Kelso Supply Holiday Classic at the Show Me Center.

Sixth-seeded Scott City rallied past eighth-seeded Saxony Lutheran 44-31 to capture seventh place in the eight-team event.

"I thought we finally put four quarters together," Scott City coach Ricky Keller said. "We haven't been able to do that very much."

An especially strong third period sparked the Rams (4-6), who trailed the Crusaders 19-16 at halftime.

"I thought we dictated the game in the third quarter. We did what we wanted to do," Keller said.

Scott City outscored Saxony 15-4 in the third, including 10-1 at the outset. The Rams carried a 31-23 lead into the final period and held off the Crusaders (1-6), who got within six points.

"The last game we let down in the third quarter. We knew we couldn't do it again," said Scott City senior Katie Hogan, referring to the eight-point halftime lead the Rams let slip away during Wednesday's loss to Perryville.

Hogan, a 6-foot-2 forward, finished a strong tournament with 26 points. She netted 16 of her points in the second half to finish with 62 points in the three Holiday Classic games.

"She stepped up pretty huge," Keller said.

Freshman guard Lyndsie Robert added 10 points for the Rams.

"We changed some things up and brought her off the bench this game," Keller said. "I thought she was more calm. She's going to be a good player."

Junior Lauren Hecht paced a young Saxony squad with nine points.

"They're going to be a good team later in the year," Keller said about the Crusaders. "They played hard."

Scott City 8 8 15 13 -- 44

Saxony 7 12 4 8 -- 31

SCOTT CITY (44) -- Lyndsie Robert 10, Lindsey Rendleman 2, Katie Rhymer 2, Katie Hogan 26, Brittany Kiefer 4. FG 14, FT 15-18, F 12. (3-pointers: Hogan 1. Fouled out: none)

SAXONY (31) -- Abby Hadler 3, Kristy Winter 2, Regan Obermann 6, Lauren Hecht 9, Maci Daniel 6, Chandler Short 1, Courtney Bergman 2, Natalie Mueller 2. FG 12, FT 4-8, F 18. (3-pointers: Hadler 1, Obermann 1, Hecht 1. Fouled out: Daniel)