FORT MADISON - Camille Kruse was held to just five points on Friday night at Mt. Pleasant, but she more than made up for it Saturday, putting 27 on Central Lee.
The Hounds needed overtime to knock off the visiting Hawks 50-41, and Kruse scored five of Fort Madison's final 11 in getting the win.
The Hounds' eighth win of the year didn't come without a cost. The Hounds may have lost junior Irelynd Sargent for some time with a knee injury. The guard went down chasing a missed a free throw in the second quarter and didn't return.
She stayed on the sideline with an iced knee until the game was over and then was carried out of the gym.
"I hope she can make it back," Kruse said after the game. "I need her. The whole team needs her."
Central Lee opened up a 6-0 lead early but the Hounds rallied to trail 9-7 at the end of the first period. Kruse hit a 3-ball 28 seconds into the second quarter to give Fort Madison its first lead of the night.
Through the third period the lead changed or was tied 11 times as Central Lee senior Makayla Morrison traded jabs with Kruse throughout the game.
Morrison finished with 18, 13 in the second half,to keep the Lady Hawks in the game.
"We tried to keep her off Kruse as much as possible. I didn't want her to suffer fatigue," said Central Lee coach Taylor Hickey.
Morrison played the full 32 minutes after doing the same thing Friday night in a loss to Holy Trinity Catholic.
"That just goes to speak to the athleticism of a four-year multi-sport athlete," Hickey said. "She's my rock on this team and she played her butt off and I said that to her and the team at halftime."
Hickey said Pohren played strong through an injury to her nose.
"She played through it and never asked to come out. I just need these younger girls to know that at the varsity level a big part is energy and mental toughness."
A bucket by freshman Kenna Sandoval inside gave the Hawks a 30-28 lead with 4:33 left in the game. Morrison would hit a three pointer in the Hawks' next offensive set to extend the lead to five 33-28.
After the 3-ball, Fort Madison coach TJ Sargent called a time out and Kruse scored out of the timeout to make it 30-33. Two free throws by Karlie Pohren and a couple from Morrison gave Central Lee a 37-33 lead after a 3-ball from Kruse.
She would hit another from the left wing at 1:35 to cut the lead to one at 36-37. Morrison would score on a put back to give the Hawks a three-point advantage, but Aija Jenkins, who struggled going 0-10 from the field, laced a 3-pointer from the right baseline in front of the Hounds' bench to tie things at 39 with 35 seconds left.
Central Lee took a full time out to set up the next possession but turned it over in the half-court. Fort Madison would get the ball almost to half court and call a timeout with 9 seconds left.
Kruse was able to drive and force up a shot in the lane but missed. Molly Knipe coralled the rebound but her shot went high over the basket as the buzzer sounded.
Central Lee would miss its first five shots from the field in overtime as Fort Madison opened up a 46-39 lead. Morrison would convert a bucket and get fouled, but missed the free throw and that would be all the scoring for the Hawks as Fort Madison secured the win.
Hickey said the Hawks went into the overtime session a little hesitant with two of the starters carrying four fouls.
"I haven't played yet in an OT situation, but we wanted to play solid defense and then come down and score," she said.
"But when Fort Madison came out hitting their shots I saw my girls' faces go glum at that point. So our energy level changed."
Fort Madison coach TJ Sargent echoed the overtime session saying she just wanted her girls to play solid defense and set some screens to allow Kruse to get some open shots.
"We were going to stick with man defense and try to set some ball screens for Camille," Sargent said.
"The message was to play good defense and set some screens and work some time off the clock if we get ahead. We tend to rush things."
Knipe finished with nine points for Fort Madison (8-3, 4-1). Sandoval had 11 for the Hawks (4-6, 3-4).
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here