GHS girls drop to Stanberry

Stanberry made a 5-point halftime lead hold up in the second half of an early GRC basketball showdown last night. The Lady Bulldogs from Stanberry defeated Gallatin, 53-48, in a game every bit as good as anticipated.

From Gallatin’s side of the court the outcome was determined by Gallatin’s inability to convert on short jump shots late in the first half and missed free throws.

Stanberry didn’t exactly salt away the victory at the free throw line, missing seven free throws after holding a slim 48-44 lead with 1:24 left in the game. But the visitors managed to hit enough to keep their margin safe, countering the hot shooting of Shannan Batson who canned eight of her team high 14 points for Gallatin in the final quarter.

Both ball clubs clued the large crowd of spectators on things to come when Rochelle Davitt hit a bank shot just before the buzzer to tie the game at 11-11 at the end of the first quarter. Early on Stanberry had few problems solving Gallatin’s full court press. Amy Sullens had an outstanding offensive night. She scored 23 points to compensate for the loss of Kelly Luke, sidelined with a broken foot. Jennifer Cooper was Stanberry’s other scoring threat who finished with 12 points despite fouling out with 2:37 left in the game.

One of the game’s most aggressive plays occurred when freshman Kayli Burrell, among a string of substitutes, stole the basketball off the press at midcourt. Burrell took her drive to the basket and scored but rammed defender Karen Baldwin to the floor. The shot was waved off and Burrell was assessed an offensive foul. Play stopped as Baldwin eventually applied an ice pack to her head and left the floor.

Stanberry soon scored for a 20-17 lead. Then Sullens nailed a trey, shooting a yard past the arc at the buzzer for a 5-point halftime margin.

Gallatin started the third quarter slowly. The host Bulldogs missed their first shot in the second half and then committed four consecutive turnovers. Rochelle Davitt finally answered Stanberry with a rebound bank shot, but Stanberry seemed on a roll with a 31-19 spread.

But things can change quickly. Roxie Davitt jump started Gallatin’s rally with a basket on an in-bounds play. Batson promptly stole the basketball from Stanberry, scored on a layup, and then did it over again finishing with a turnaround jumper off an assist from Erin Sweatman. That prompted Stanberry to call time out holding a 31-25 count with 2:57 in the third quarter.

The teams exchanged baskets, Gallatin on an in-bounds play and Stanberry by an offensive set. Sweatman notched another steal for Gallatin via the press, bouncing a pass to Roxie Davitt for a baseline basket to close to 33-29. Stanberry hit four of six free throws as the quarter ended, but Allison Spidle fed Sweatman for a Gallatin layup at the buzzer. Stanberry was worried with a 37- 34 lead.

Gallatin was never to get any closer. When Stanberry edged ahead, Courtney Houghton hit both ends of a one-and-one. Then Sweatman nailed a trey to pull Gallatin back to trail, 41-37. Stanberry called time out with 5:08 left. Two quick buckets doomed Gallatin’s comeback bid. The backbreaker was an easy layup when the host Bulldogs proved too slow to set up their defense while the game was in transition. Gallatin also missed four free throws when it meant the most although the host Bulldogs never stepped up to the line during the final 1:24 of play.