Staff report
Sidney senior Celena Taborn rallied her team from an 11-point halftime deficit with a remarkable second half, and the Lady Jackets came away with a 70-59 win over a good St. Marys squad in non-league action at the high school Thursday night.
The win was Sidney’s fifth in a row and puts the Lady Jackets at 6-3 overall going into a game next Thursday at home against Tecumseh.
Taborn had 12 points at the half, but after leading 14-9 going into the second quarter, the Lady Jackets were outscored 24-10 to trail 34-23 at the break.
But in the second half, Taborn scored 33 points to finish the game with 45. That is surpassed in school history only by the 49 scored by Konner Harris. Ironically, Taborn’s career high came one night earlier when she went for 32 in the win over Greenville.
Sidney was playing its third game in four days, and coach Megan Mummey wasn’t sure what to expect.
‘We did not have a very good first half at all,” she said. “St. Marys came out pushing the ball, which I thought was a smart move on their part. I got on the girls at halftime. I told them they couldn’t keep making the same mistakes we were making and expect to compete with a good team. And we were a totally different team in the second half.”
Sidney, behind Taborn, outscored the Lady Roughriders 20-13 in the third quarter, but they still left the Lady Jackets trailed by two with one quarter to play. But St. Marys couldn’t contain Taborn. The 6-foot-3 center even hit a three-pointer on her way to a 19-point final period.
“We brought in Braxtyn Lee because of foul trouble, and she hit a three-pointer,” said Mummey. “And Carrie Nuss hit a big three to give us the lead. That loosened things up and they had to come out on our shooters. So we were able to get it inside to Celena.”
Nuss had three threes in the game and finished with 10 points for Sidney. And she also dished out seven assists.
Taborn, meanwhile, had 11 rebounds for another double-double.
St. Marys (59) — Caywood 11, S.Cisco 12, Mele 5, Schmitmeyer 7, Roble 19, Taylor 5.
Sidney (70) — Miller 2, Nuss 10, Kindle 3, Powers 6, Wiford 1, Lee 3. Taborn 45.
Score by quarters:
`1`2`3`4
St. Marys`9`33`46`59
Sidney`14`24`44`70
Three-pointers: Sidney 6 (Nuss 3, Taborn, lee, Kindle); SM 7 (Caywood 3, S. Cosco 3, Roble).
Records: Both teams 6-3.
WEDNESDAY
Sidney (64) — Miller 7, Nuss 5, Kindle 10, Wiford 2, Lee 8, Taborn 32.
Greenville (44) — Shaffer 3, Brandenburg 2, Cromwell 9, Shilt 8, Nakamura 1, Gilbert 11, Garland 6, Jackson 4.
Score by quarters:
Sidney`17`35`51`64
Greenville`14`18`28`44
Three-pointers: Sidney 5 (Kindle 2, Lee 2, Taborn); Greenville 3 (Garland 2, Cromwell).
Records: Sidney 5-3, Greenville 4-5.
——
Russia 65, Botkins 42
RUSSIA — Botkins was going for its ninth straight win to start the season, but Russia had other ideas, pulling away in the final period to hand the Lady Trojans their first loss of the year by a 65-42 final.
The win puts Russia at 2-1 in the league and 7-1 overall with St. Marys coming to the Russia gym on Tuesday.
Botkins is 3-1 in the league and 8-1 overall and is off until Jan. 5 when Anna comes to town.
The Lady Trojans started out the season with eight straight wins, tying the school record for the best start ever in girls basketball.
According to Shelby County basketball historian Bob Wise, Botkins started out 8-0 in 1970-71, when girls basketball was a fall sport. And 8-0 was the final season record that year.
Botkins’ biggest problem in facing the Lady Raiders was keeping track of Russia sharpshooter Maria Herron. With her hitting two three-pointers, the Lady Raiders led 13-8 after a quarter.
In the second quarter, Paige Lane of Botkins got warmed up and also started hitting from long range. A pair of threes from her gave the Lady Trojans an 18-15 lead, but Herron got Russia going again, hitting a three and then getting a steal and a layup to start the Lady Raiders on a run. By the time it ended, Russia was up 30-21.
The half ended 32-25, and Herron had 18 of her teams points, 12 coming on three-pointers. On the other side, Lane had 14 of the Botkins points.
It was tight through most of the third quarter, but Russia got the last five of the period to go up 10 at 45-35.
The Lady Raiders continued to latch on to the momentum and pulled away from the Lady Trojans in the final period.
Herron finished with 37 points and hit a new schiool-record eight three-pointers for the Lady Raiders. Lane had 19 for the Lady Trojans.
Botkins (43) — Pitts 3, Jones 3, Greve 3, Bergman 5, Lane 19, Woodall 8, Homan 1.
Russia (65) — Cordonnier 4, Poling 11, hatcher 4, Wilson 7, Pleiman 2, Herron 37.
Score by quarters:
Botkins`8`25`35`42
Russia`13`32`45`65
Three-pointers: Russia 8 (Herron 8); Botins 7 9Lane 4, Pitts, Jones, Greve).
Records: Russia 7-1, Botikins 8-1.
——
Loramie 48, Houston 35
HOUSTON — Fort Loramie pulled away after a tight first half and posted a 48-35 victory over Houston in another County game Thursday night.
The Lady Redskins are now 3-1 in the league and 4-3 overall and host New Knoxville Tuesday. Houston is 1-3 and 3-6 and plays at home against Lehman Thursday.
Loramie led 22-16 at the half before stretching it out to 12 after three periods.
Reyan Frey hit 20 for Loramie. Taylor Ratermann added 13 and Sara Stang 10.
Rebekah New had 15 for the Lady Wildcats.
Loramie (48) — Frey 20, S. Stang 10, Ratermann 13, Meyer 3, C. Stang 2.
Houston (35) — Maier 4, Ely 4, S. Monnier 4, J. Monnier 8, New 15.
Score by quarters:
Loramie`10`22`35`48
Houston`3`16`23`35
Three-pointers: Loramie 4 (Frey 3, Ratermann); Houston 2 (New 2).
Records: Loramie 4-3, Houston 3-6.
Reserve score: Loramie 35, Houston 20.
