The Garrett girls basketball team progressively got better but still couldn’t best Leo.A lack of depth finally, frustratingly caught up with the Class 2A top-ranked Bishop Luers girls basketball team.
The host Knights fell for the first time in a draining 58-57 double-overtime decision to undefeated Warsaw on Tuesday.
Playing short-handed all season with three key players suffering preseason injuries, the Knights still won their first six games and ascended to the top spot in 2A. Most of the time, though, Luers has been going only eight players deep.
“I give our girls all the credit because they work so hard to stay in ball games,” first-year coach Denny Renier said.
“They don’t give up, and they scrap and they fight, but our depth is not very much.
“It is a lot to ask the kids to play double overtime against a good team like that.”
Even before the first game, Luers lost sophomores Catherine Barnett and Hilary Watts and junior Ave Stout to injuries.
Barnett (knee injury) is gone for the season, while Watts (knee injury) and Stout (foot surgery) could return in January.
Luers managed to stay alive when Brooke Ridley hit a jumper from just beyond the free-throw line as time ran out in regulation to tie the game at 42.
Warsaw (5-0), which has been getting honorable mention in the 4A poll, has won two overtime games this year.
“The first thing I told the girls when they sat down was, ‘Hey, girls, we are 1-0 in overtime. This is our game here, and we have them right where we want them,’ ” Warsaw coach Michelle Harter said.
“I never thought it wasn’t going to be our night when they battled and got it into overtime. I knew our girls were going to come through.”
Brierra Young tried the same heroics as Ridley at the end of the first overtime, but her jumper was off with five seconds left in the first overtime.
After making only 1 of 8 from the three-point line, Young hit three straight threes in the second overtime as the Knights kept it close.
The Knights, though, ran out of steam.
While struggling from the free-throw line (7 of 21), Luers stayed in the game by hitting 10 three-pointers in the second half and the two overtimes.
“Night after night, we are in these kinds of games,” Renier said.
“We are a great defensive team, but we just struggle offensively. We are not going to blow teams out.
“We have to play great defense and tonight we shot free throws horribly. It is frustrating for the kids and the coaches.
“Obviously that’s what lost the game tonight was our free-throw shooting.”
Kelci Freds led the Tigers with a career-high 29 points.
Melissa Oberley had 16 points for the Knights, while Young added 14.
Miracle Woods had 10 points for Luers, all in the first quarter.
“(Kayla Stout and Sarah Shilling) really did a good job in the inside against their big girl (Woods),” Harter said.
“We were letting her be physical with us, and we just decided we were going to get low and continue to move their feet, and they did a good job of adjusting.”
