South Central Advances To Sectional Semis At Hebron!

It was a game that truly was a “team win” for the South Central Lady Satellites, and one that was a lot more challenging than the final score might indicate.

In the first round of Sectional 34 at Hebron High School, South Central and Rensselaer met for the first time, not just in tournament play, but the first time in history. The unfamiliarity between the two teams would be apparent in the early part of the game, as would the Sectional jitters for each team, as the two squads would see missed scoring opportunities to go along with some unforced turnovers in the early going. The two teams would combine for just 16 total points in the first quarter, with South Central leading 11-5 at the end of the first eight minutes.

While the defenses would remain strong in the second quarter, the Lady Satellites would begin to stretch things out a bit, as Senior forward Amber Wolf began to pick up the scoring pace. The six-footer began attacking the basket off the dribble, which would result in layups or free throws nearly every time. With her teammates doing a great job of sharing the ball, it would not be difficult for Wolf to keep the Lady Satellites ahead on the scoreboard. Wolf, however, would not be the only one in SC red, white, and blue to contribute in the scoring column. The Sophomore duo of Delanie Gale and Abbie Tomblin would each put up five points of their own to help shoulder the load throughout the first half, while Senior Faith Biggs and Freshman Olivia Marks would combine for the remaining first half points. The Lady Satellites would outscore the Lady Bombers 12-9 in the second quarter, to give them a 23-14 lead at the half.

Perhaps the most impressive statistic in the first half came in the steals category, as the two teams combined for 16 steals in the first half, with South Central pulling away 10 and Rensselaer grabbing 6. The difference being that the Satellites were able to convert more of their forced turnovers into points. As far as rebounding goes, the two teams would be dead even, 21-21, at the intermission. The biggest advantage that South Central would hold in the first half would come at the free throw line, hitting 8-15 for 53%, while Rensselaer managed to go just 1-3 for 33%.

The second half would continue to see impressive defense at both ends of the floor, with each team changing up from zone, to man, to trapping in the full, half, and quarter court. South Central would continue to find consistency in the scoring column, with a huge effort coming from Biggs, who would score 7 of her 8 points in the final two quarters. Gale, Tomblin, and Wolf would all contribute 6 points each in the second half, while Wade and Marks would combine for the other 9. By game’s end, the stat sheet would reflect the “team first” mentality of the Lady Satellites.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Lady Satellites were able to come away with an 18-point win, in a very hard fought game. Amber Wolf would be named the Ashley Derrickson/Five Star Player of the Game on WKVI, for her 15 point, 17 rebound, 3 steal performance in the win.

The Lady Satellites will be back in action on Friday in the Semifinal round of the Hebron Sectional, taking on North Newton, which defeated Boone Grove 60-41 in the second game of the night.

Game Statistics

Scoring

South Central(54): Delanie Gale-11, Abbie Tomblin-11, Faith Biggs-8, Lexy Wade-4, Amber Wolf-15, Olivia Marks-5

Rensselaer(36): Jessie Ringen-8, Morgan Van Meter-2, Lexi Healy-9, Abby Ahler-5, Sydney Van Meter-12

Free Throws

South Central: 13-32 40%

Rensselaer: 9-15 60%

3-Point Shots Made

Rensselaer(3): Sydney Van Meter-3

South Central(3): Delanie Gale-2, Faith Biggs-1

Rebounding

South Central(44): Delanie Gale-7, Elle Kimmel-1, Abbie Tomblin-3, Faith Biggs-3, Lexy Wade-4, Amber Wolf-17, Olivia Marks-7, Lillian Tolmen-3

Rensselaer(33): Jessie Ringen-8, Morgan Van Meter-6, Lexi Healy-4, Avree Cain-3, Abby Ahler-4, Hanna Redlin-1, Sydney Van Meter-7

Steals

South Central(19): Delanie Gale-4, Abbie Tomblin-8, Faith Biggs-3, Lexy Wade-1, Amber Wolf-3

Rensselaer(15): Jessie Ringen-2, Abby Koebcke-1, Morgan Van Meter-1, Lexi Healy-5, Avree Cain-2, Sydney Van Meter-4

*Statistical Information In This Article Provided By Kankakee Valley Broadcasting Staff. These Are Not Official Game Statistics*

*Photos Sponsored By Momma’s Pizzeria In Downtown Knox*

mommaspizzeria.com