Lady Tigers earn trip to SoDak 16

Ipswich claimed a Region 2B girls' high school basketball bracket championship, edging Sully Buttes 42-41 in their 2B upper-bracket title game last Thursday in Ipswich. Ipswich had blasted Potter County 67-46 in a semifinal outing last Tuesday in Ipswich.

Faulkton, meanwhile, eventually prevailed in the lower-bracket with an easier 53-27 upset win over Herreid/Selby Area played last Tuesday at Selby. Faulkton, 15-6, is seeded 12th among the 16 regional survivors and will face fifth-seeded Warner Area (20-2) at 7:30 p.m. on February 28, hosted by James Valley Christian in Huron. But much more importantly for Tiger fans, that game will be preceded with the other Region 2B bracket winner Ipswich, seeded seventh, facing 10th-seeded Bridgewater-Emery (18-3), beginning at 6 p.m. at JVC. "We would be willing to play at any location at this time of year," said IHS coach Brian Hogie. "B-E is an athletic group with some really good shooters." 

Yes, Ipswich came from behind with an old-fashioned three-point play from Kamryn Heinz, who drove the lane for a layup and was fouled in the process. Her basket knotted the score at 41-41 and that all-important free throw gave Ipswich a precarious one-point lead. And a last-second desperation Chargers' pass attempt into forecourt was deflected and intercepted and Tiger fans began to celebrate.

But that last second miracle was no accident! "Yes, we practice that end of game situation. We want to get the ball in Kamryn's hands and let her attack," Hogie said. "It should be a good shot for her or somebody else cutting." And indeed it was!

Those types of opportunities didn't present themselves nearly as often as nervous Tiger parents would have liked. Said Hogie: "Sully Buttes played a good defensive game plan. They played man to man, but sagged off and helped to cut off lanes. We did a good job of attacking it early in the game and getting to the free throw line. But later in the game I thought we got a little tired and didn't attack as well."

The game was that close. The two teams were knotted at 15 points apiece after a quarter and Ipswich led 21-17 at halftime. Make that a 31-28 Chargers' lead with a quarter to play.

Abby Grabowska led the Ipswich scoring attack with 15 points. Kamryn Heinz finished with a double-double, grabbing 13 rebounds to go along with her 12 points, that included a trey. Next was Aleah Steger with five points and Halle Heinz added four points. Tessa Kilber netted a trey for her three points and Chesney Olivier also scored three points with a layup plus foul shot.

Sully Buttes was led by Lauren Wittler with 16 points and Kendra Kleven also reached double-figures with 14 points.

Ipswich connected on 12 accurate floor shots including its pair of treys and was a warm 16-22 in free throw tries. Sully Buttes countered with 17 baskets that featured five treys and finished 2-2 at the line, but obviously didn't get there often enough. Credit Ipswich with a 28-24 rebounding edge, led by Kamryn Heinz with her 13. Ipswich committed 10 turnovers; SB, 12.

Meanwhile, Ipswich gradually pulled away from Potter County. (The Lady Tigers had doubled PC 20-10 after a quarter and still led 31-21 at intermission.) But Ipswich got the upper hand in the third quarter for a 43-29 lead and also outscored its visitors 24-17 in the final stanza.

Kamryn Heinz paced Ipswich with 24 points and 13 of the Lady Tigers' 45 rebounds for a double-double. She included two of Ipswich's five treys and also five of her team's seven assists. Ipswich's next leading scorer was Abby Grabowska with 22 points including a trey, followed by Halle Heinz with 16 points including a trey. Halie Feldman scored a trey for her three points and Bailey Hammrich added two points.

The visitors were led by Jenna Robbenolt, also finishing with 24 points. But she was their lone double-figure scorer, though six other Lady Battlers dented the scoring ledger.

Ipswich netted 24 baskets, including its five treys and was 14-17 at the line. The visitors countered with 17 floor shots, including four treys and were 8-11 in free throw attempts.

Ipswich only committed 12 turnovers, while helping create 18 miscues for PC. Ipswich came away with 13 steals, led by Halle Heinz with four.