Web posted
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Ark City girls blow lead, lose fourth straight
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Photo by Daivd Wolman
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By DAVID WOLMAN
Traveler Sports Editor
sports@arkcity.net
WICHITA - Arkansas City needed a win in the worst imaginable way.
With the Bulldogs coming off three straight double-digit losses and hosting McPherson, No. 3 in Class 5A, on Friday, they figured Tuesday evening was the right time to turn things around and take advantage of a Campus team mired in a seven-game losing streak.
That seemed like a real possibility...until the final buzzer had sounded.
Ark City had built a six-point lead, only to see it evaporate. Lorielle Slates started to come alive late. And Campus had built a late three-point lead.
Still, the Bulldogs had one final chance to send the game into overtime and give themselves an opportunity to break out of their losing streak.
But Natalie Stinson's last-second three-point attempt bounced off the rim, allowing Campus to escape with an ugly 39-36 win over Ark City.
"It's very disappointing. I don't know how else to explain it," Bulldogs coach Bill Stinson said. "It's a team that we should beat, but we didn't."
The end of the game didn't come without a little controversy.
Moments after the final buzzer sounded, Stinson walked on the court towards one of the referees to contend that Natalie Stinson had been hacked on the arm on her three-point attempt.
"When someone gets hammered, you've got to call it (a foul)," coach Stinson said. "Not that she would've made all three free throws, but she was seven-for-eight...That was it, they didn't call a foul."
But Bill's argument was to no avail.
That was only one of Stinson's frustrations -- mainly, his team's inability to close out the game.
After struggling to generate much offense through the first three quarters, the Bulldogs appeared to have finally taken control early in the fourth.
Natalie Stinson was the catalyst, using dribble penetration to break through the heart of Campus' 2-3 zone defense and create open looks.
Stinson curled to the left and hit a quick jumper for a 26-21 Ark City lead with 7:08 remaining. After being limited to a pair of free throws in the first half, Stinson came alive in the second half to score 14 of her game-high 16 points. She finished 8-of-9 at the free-throw line.
Less than a minute later, Nikki Jordan gave the Bulldogs their biggest lead, 28-22, on a pair of free throws.
"I felt like we were in control, but that's still not many points," coach Stinson said.
But just like Ark City, Campus' offense came to life in a big way in the fourth quarter. After scoring only 18 points through the first three quarters, the Colts outscored the Bulldogs 21-14 in the fourth.
After Campus came to within a single possession on a Casandra Brown three-pointer, the Colts trailed by no more than three points until Slates came alive in the final two minutes.
Slates willed her way through the paint or attacked the baseline to score her baskets. Slates had a mismatch on the baseline and the 5-foot-10 junior used it to her advantage to give Campus its first lead since midway through the second quarter on a floating layup directly underneath the basket with 1:08 remaining.
After Stinson regained a one-point lead for Ark City with a pair of free throws, Slates made her second layup in as many opportunities on the ensuing possession for a 37-36 lead.
"We stopped moving our feet and then just let her take it (to the basket)," Bill Stinson said.
Slates scored all nine of her points in the fourth quarter.
Ark City (413) then had two chances to tie or take the lead.
As the Bulldogs worked the ball around the perimeter for an open shot, Brown poked the ball away from Kasha Hunt with 8.7 seconds. Brown sank two free throws for the final tally.
Stinson's last-second three-pointer fell short, giving the Colts only their third win on the season.
Brown was the only player who seemed to find any offense in the first half. She scored 10 of her 14 points in the first half.
With both teams struggling to take care of the ball in a sloppy first half, offense was at a premium. The teams combined for almost as many turnovers as points. Campus committed 11 turnovers in the first half, while the Bulldogs had 10.
Ark City recorded seven steals in the first half, but didn't take advantage of its extra opportunities. After Hunt poked the ball away for a steal late in the first quarter, the Bulldogs were called for an over and back violation shortly after. Campus (3-14) didn't take advantage of its opportunities, either.
Neither team led by more than four points in the first half. Brown scored the game's first four points, as the Colts jumped out to an early 6-2 lead. Stinson hit a pair of free throws for a 13-13 tie at intermission.
Ark City 7 6 9 14 -- 36
Campus 8 5 5 21 -- 39
Ark City -- Stinson 16, Warren 3, Sturd 4, Jordan 4, White 4, Benton 5.
Campus -- Brown 14, Slates 9, Dickey 5, Peil 5, Mayer 3, Burk 2, Wheeler 1.
Above: Arkansas City senior Natalie Stinson attempts a three-pointer during the second half of Tuesday evening's game against Campus in Wichita. Stinson scored 14 of her game-high 16 points in the second half.
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