Top Seed Shelley beats No. 1 Defense Bishop Kelly for rite to title game
NAMPA: Lady Russets (21-3) faced a formidable opponent Bishop Kelly (21-3), and prevailed to advance to the State 4A Championship Basketball title game against the Sandpoint Bulldogs.
The game began with the Russets taking an early 5-2 lead. Shelley increased their lead to 5 points. But the first quarter was all about defense as Bishop Kelly held the Russets to just 12 points to their 9 points at the end of the quarter.
But the lady Russets were not deterred as Brinley Cannon, Kaci Lang, and Hallie Behunin each sank a 3-pointer to give Shelley the edge going into the half of 24 to 20.
In the 3rd quarter, the Russet increased their lead to 26 to 20. But it was soon erased by proficient free-throw shooting by the Knights and by a 3-pointer shot by Knight Kira Lizama, who gave Bishop Kelly their first lead of the night. Caroline Knott widened the lead to 4 by sinking a 3-point shot.
But the lady Russets would not be denied. Kaci Lang shot a 2-point lay-up and was fouled. She hit her free-throw, making a one-point lead for the Knights.
Then, Bishop Kelly took the ball down, and Knight Logan McCarthy shot a two-pointer making it a 3-point game in their favor.
The Lady Russets took the ball down, but Lang’s shot bounced off the rim, wherein the Knights pushed the action down the court, but Lizama’s 3-pointer bounced off the backboard.
The ball was recovered by Shelley Russet Hallie Dye, who threw it to Cannon, who drove and then threw the ball to an open Kaylee Packer, who was under the basket. But instead of taking the open shot, she threw it out to a waiting, Sarah Kidman, who sank a 3-point corner shot, tying the game at 35 with her first shot of the night. The 3rd quarter ended with the teams tied at 39.
At the beginning of the 4th quarter, Brinley Cannon launches a 3-pointer and nails it. The Knights got the ball and ran it down the court, but Brinley Cannons stole it, ran down the court, stopped short of a lay-up, and made a two-point shot while getting fouled in the process. Then, Cannon hit her free-throw shot, giving the Russets a 6-point lead in the game!
On the next series down the court, Graci Stevens added her 3-pointer to give the Russets a 9-point lead with 6:42 left in the game. From there on, Russets never looked back. The Russets beat the Bishop Kelly Knights 60 to 48.
Shelley now advances to the State 4A Championship Basketball Game against 3rd seed Sandpoint Bulldogs, which will be played at the Idaho Ford Center, in Nampa, tomorrow evening at 6 p.m.
The Player of the Game went to Brinley Cannon, the high scorer for the Russets, with 25 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, and seven turnovers. Hallie Dye had five rebounds.
Bishop Kelly committed 18 turnovers which Shelley converted into 18 points, whereas Shelley turned it over 13 times, and Bishop Kelly converted them into just 5 points. Bishop Kelly shot 33 percent, with 20 of 61, while the Russets shot 42 percent, with 20 of 51 from the field.
