Lady Lions launch past Lady Rockets in final seconds

     LEESBURG – A steal of an inbounds pass in the final 25 seconds that turned into two points by junior Chelsey Riddle, along with five 3-pointers from senior Lauren Bowman propelled the Fairfield Lady Lions past Southern Hills League foe Fayetteville 45-41 Thursday night at Grandle Gymnasium.

     Riddle’s steal happened as the Lady Rockets had to pass the ball inbounds underneath the basket of Fairfield. Riddle, in Larry Bird fashion, stole the pass and put the ball through the hoop with a one-handed wrap around shot with 25.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter. When Riddle attempted the steal she had four fouls.

     “Chelsey’s play reminded me of the old Celtics-Pistons game,” Fairfield head coach Matt Hodson said. “She always knows where the ball is going to be. She has an instinct for the ball.”

     The Lady Rockets made it a 3-point game (44-41) with a jumper from junior Jill Ryan with 12.7 left in regulation. After the Lady Lions missed two free throws, the Lady Rockets had a chance to tie the game, but were charged with a travel call at mid-court with 5.6 left on the clock. Riddle made it a four-point game with a free throw conversion.

     Riddle wrapped up the game with another double-double, her sixth of the season, as the junior post player finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Riddle also added four blocks and two assists, while going 4 of 5 from the free-throw line.

     The game also belonged to Bowman. The senior outside threat sank five 3-pointers, four in the first half. Bowman began the game with a trifecta, and with 9.4 left in the same quarter, tied it with a 3-pointer. In the second quarter Bowman scored six straight points via the 3-ball with 1:34, and then knocking the ball off the glass, through the hoop from beyond the arc with 6.4 left in the first half.

     Bowman finished with 17 points, along with four rebounds, two assists and one block.

     The game was a slow and methodical in the opening quarter as neither team could make a big run to take control of the league contest. After Bowman opened the game with her first 3-pointer, Lady Rocket junior Emily Stahl tied the game on the ensuing possession with a 3-pointer of her own.

     Riddle later tied the game at 7-7, but Fayetteville senior Shelby Brown knocked down another Lady Rocket 3-point basket to make the score 10-7.

     Fairfield tied the game at the start of the second at 14 with a jumper by senior Sadie Jones. The Lady Rockets didn’t keep the game tied for long when junior Shelby Sheets put Fayetteville ahead with two point basket.

     Trailing 18-16 the Lady Lions (3-2, 4-3) put the lead in their hands, once again, with a 3-pointer by Sword, leaving 2:32 on the clock in the second.

     Bowman put Fairfield ahead by five with her fourth 3-point bucket of the first half, but as the buzzer sounded to end the second Sheets sank a trifecta of her own to put the Lady Rockets within two points of the Lady Lions at 25-23.

     The duo of Bowman and Riddle put the Lady Lions up by six points with under 5:00 left in the third quarter. Fayetteville came back with points by junior Desiree Dutro, freshman Abbey Rowe and Sheets to take the lead at 30-29, leaving 3:19 in the quarter.

     Both team exchanged the lead with Riddle and Sheets making inside buckets, but points from Riddle and Bowman (her fifth 3-pointer), made the score 36-34 in favor of the Lady Lions after three quarters.

     In the early stages of the fourth Brown brought the Lady Rockets (4-1, 5-1) closer to Fairfield with a 3-point basket. Fayetteville tied the game at 39 with points from Sheets.

     Riddle put FHS ahead at 41-39 with timely free throws, as the Lady Lions finished the game 5 of 12 from the foul line.

     Last season the Lady Rockets swept Fairfield en route to the Division II SHL crown, as both games came down to the wire.

     “It was tough last year in losing both games to them (Fayetteville),” Hodson said. “To come back tonight and fight tough against them, it was a good win for the ladies.”

     Sheets led Fayetteville with 15 points. Sheets is two points shy of scoring 1,000 points in her career.

     FHS senior Gabby Boone had seven rebounds and one block. The Lady Lions out-rebounded Fayetteville 32-18.

     The Lady Lions will be back in action on Dec. 30 as they host the Paint Valley Lady ‘Cats.

BOX SCORE

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Fayetteville – 14 9 11 7 – 41

Fairfield – 12 13 11 9 – 45

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Fairfield (45)

Sword 0 (1) 3, Jones 2 4, Bowman 1 (5) 17, Riddle 8 4-5 20, Boone 0 1-2 1. TOTALS: 11 (6) 5-12 45.

Fayetteville (41)

Stahl 0 (1) 2-2 5, Rowe 0 (1) 3, Dutro 3 2-2 8, Sheets 6 (1) 0-3 15, Brown 2 (2) 10. TOTALS: 11 (5) 4-7 41.