Lady Tigers end season with loss to eventual district champions

By Will Johnson, Sports Editor
Posted 3/2/22

Turning back Dixon’s Lady Bulldogs for the third time by a score of 45-29 during the first round of the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 3, District 9 Girls …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Lady Tigers end season with loss to eventual district champions

Posted

Turning back Dixon’s Lady Bulldogs for the third time by a score of 45-29 during the first round of the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 3, District 9 Girls Basketball Tournament at Dixon High School, Evin Farris’ Belle Lady Tigers earned a second shot at Steelville’s Lady Cardinals in the district semifinals last Tuesday night.

Bombarded by Steelville’s potent offense to the tune of a 25-2 deficit after one quarter, Belle simply did not have enough answers before ending their season at 10-17 following a 62-24 loss to the eventual district champions.

Steelville went on to defeat Linn 66-34 for the district title to advance to Class 3 sectional action tonight (Wednesday) against Licking’s Lady Wildcats at University of Missouri of Science and Technology (S & T) in Rolla at 6 p.m.

Victoria Busch spoiled Steelville’s bid for a first-quarter shutout by scoring Belle’s lone basket for two points in the first eight minutes of their district semifinal.

Adding 12 points to their total in the second quarter, Belle saw Steelville add 16 to their leaving them trailing 41-14 at halftime.

Lauren Prigge hit a pair of second quarter 3-pointers giving her a team-high six first-half points for Belle.

Natalie Gehlert also hit a second-quarter 3-pointer for the Lady Tigers to go with a Hali Naber bucket.

Outscored 18-8 in the third quarter, Belle now trailed Steelville 59-22 entering the fourth quarter.

Nevaeh Kinsey led the Lady Tigers in the third quarter with a 3-pointer to go along with two points each from Molly Busch and Gehlert.

Naber also added a third-quarter free throw.

Kinsey scored Belle’s lone two points in the fourth quarter as the season came to an end for the Lady Tigers.

Prigge’s two second-quarter 3-pointers gave her a team-high six points for Belle against the Lady Cardinals.

Gehlert and Kinsey each added five points followed by three points apiece out of Victoria Busch and Naber.

Molly Busch rounded out the Belle scoring against Steelville with a pair of third-quarter free throws for two points.

Naomi Perkins led Steelville and all scorers with a game-high 20 points.

Lauren Davis also reached double figures for the Lady Cardinals with 12 points.

Opening the Class 3, District 9 Tournament three days earlier, Farris’ Lady Tigers took on the host Lady Bulldogs from Dixon for the third time this season.

Nursing an 8-6 lead after one quarter, Belle went on to score the host Lady Bulldogs 37-23 the rest of the way during their 45-29 opening-round victory in the C3D9 girls basketball tournament.

Free throws were the story in the first quarter with Belle getting six of their eight points from the charity stripe.

Gehlert hit five of her six free-throw attempts in the first quarter while Kinsey also connected on one of two shots.

Winning the second quarter 12-4, Belle went into halftime with a 20-10 halftime lead on their Highway 28 neighbors to the west.

Scoring seven of her game-high 12 points in the second half, Naber helped the Lady Tigers advance in the district tournament.

In addition to Naber, all eight Lady Tigers that saw playing time scored at least two points.

Kinsey finished with nine points followed closely by Gehlert with seven points all on free throws.

Victoria Busch added six points while McKenna Loughridge chipped in five points.

Molly Busch, Morgan Willis and Prigge each chipped in two points for Belle against Dixon.