(Shoshoni, WY) – The Lady Blue of Shoshoni displayed poise and character in overcoming a 12-point deficit in the third period and a distinctive height deficit from the opening tip in a hard-fought 55-52 win over Class 1-A Saratoga early Thursday evening.
The Lady Panthers will be a more familiar opponent next season when they move up a class and join the 2-A West.
Saratoga towered over Shoshoni by an estimated average of seven inches per player. Despite the size disadvantage head coach Ryan Gilbertson’s girls played to their strength with good long-range shooting, a swarming full court defense and on drives inside where they were consistently hammered in the paint.4
It was a long game with the two teams combining for 55 free throw attempts. Shoshoni hit 18 of 32 while the Lady Panthers struggled at the charity stripe, converting just nine of 23.
The game was knotted at 28 at the half.
To press effectively, you have to score. When you’re undersized and can’t score, it takes away a big defensive component.
The Lady Blue went cold to open the third period. Saratoga took the ball inside and quickly built a 12-point advantage.
Many teams fold in this situation, but Shoshoni chipped away on an 8-2 run in the final two minutes of the period to close the gap to six points. A layup by Mayce Jarvis, a close-range shot from Memphis Dolcater, and an inside move by Natalie Gilbertson combined with a pair of free throws by Eckley Winfield put the Lady Blue back in reach.
Brenna Metzler opened the fourth period scoring with a 3-point shot, followed by another from Gilbertson to close the gap to just a single point.
The Lady Blue defense forced a 10-second call on the Lady Panthers, the first of two in the final period. Jarvis put Shoshoni into the lead on a layup, 47-46.
After hitting just one 3-pointer on multiple attempts earlier, Gilbertson was spot on in the final period, hitting both of her long-range shots.
McConnaughey and Gilbertson put the game away at the line in the final 33 seconds.
Gilbertson paced Shoshoni with 23 points.
Shoshoni hosts Upton on Friday at 6 pm.
SHOHSONI 14 14 8 19 – 55
SARATOGA 15 13 14 10 – 52
Shoshoni – Brenna Metzler (1) 0-0 3, Kaylor McConnaughey 2 5-6 9, Addie Mason 1 (1) 3-4 8, Mayce Jarvis 3 1-3 7, Memphis Dolcater 1 1-5 3, Natalie Gilbertson 4 (3) 6-12 23, Eckley Winfield 2-2 2. Totals 11 (5) 18-32 55
Saratoga – Walker 1 (1) 1-2 6, Peterson 2 2-4 6, Brooks 2 0-0 4, Elder 1 1-2 3, Barkhorst 7 4-8 18, Herring 7 1-7 15. Totals 21 (1) 9-23 52