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Girls Hall of Fame Classic: Columbia City tops Jennings County in championship game
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- Girls Hall of Fame Classic: Columbia City tops Jennings County in championship game
NEW CASTLE — Columbia City did not attempt a free throw until the fourth quarter, but when those opportunities arose, the Eagles took advantage, converting six of eight at the line to stymie Jennings County's attempt at a comeback and hang on for a 56-47 win in the Hall of Fame Classic championship game.
"We talk a lot about mental toughness," CC coach Amy Shearer said. "The second game in one day, fatigue can play tricks on your brain. We talked about staying focused, finishing the game, knocking down free throws and taking care of the basketball."
Columbia City Eagles Addison Baxter (33) rushes up the court against Jennings County Panthers Madelyn McIntosh (5) on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, during the Hall of Fame Classic girls basketball tournament at New Castle Fieldhouse in New Castle. The Columbia City Eagles defeated the Jennings County Panthers, 56-47.
Addison Baxter, who went for 31 points in the opener vs. Indian Creek, led Columbia City again in the nightcap, registering a team-high 17 points on 8-of-15 shooting with nine rebounds, two assists and four steals.
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The junior Butler commit entered the weekend needing 37 points to eclipse 1,000 for her career. She finished with 48, clearing the career milestone early in the second quarter. "I told Molly (Baker) after I got it, 'Now I have no pressure,'" Baxter beamed. "But I couldn't have done it without them."
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"It means a lot to me and it speaks to the great team I've had around me that's helped me get there," Baxter said. "It's not just something I've accomplished. It's all the players (I've played with) from (2022 graduate) Bekah Marshall to Kyndra Sheets. It's been all of them for this whole time."
Baxter was voted most valuable player for the event and was the focal point of Jennings County's defensive gameplan, but the Eagles' success was truly predicated on their balance — as it has been all season . Six players contributed at least six points for Columbia City, including Kyndra Sheets (12 points, three assists, two steals) and Molly Baker (nine points, four rebounds, two steals, a block and an assist).
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"When everybody scores, we win. It takes a team to win," Sheets said.
"This is our second year playing together so we're all comfortable and trust each other," Baker added.
Those contributions were expected, to an extent, but Columbia City also picked up 3-pointers from starters Faith Frey (2) and Tessa Tonkel, while Laney Ziliak delivered a couple triples off the bench.
"We wanted to hold (Baxter), but they had kids who really weren't shooting the ball well step up and make shots," Jennings County coach Kristi Sigler said. "(Ziliak) comes in and hits two 3s in the first half, (Frey) hits two 3s in the first half — if you look at the stats we had over the games we scouted them, those were shots those kids weren't knocking down."
Columbia City Eagles guard Kyndra Sheets (12) rushes up the court to score Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, during the Hall of Fame Classic girls basketball tournament at New Castle Fieldhouse in New Castle. The Columbia City Eagles defeated the Jennings County Panthers, 56-47.
There were 10 lead changes through the first two-plus quarters, with Juliann Woodard giving Jennings County its last lead at 31-30 early in the third quarter. But Columbia City was quick to respond and began slowly taking control as it maintained a two-possession lead.
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Credit the Panthers for never allowing the margin to extend beyond seven points — senior point guard Alivia Elmore ripped off eight straight JC points to make it 46-42 with 4:08 left — but Columbia City simply would not be denied, with its defensive pressure creating an assortment of problems for the Panthers.
"Their physicality over the course of the game sped us up and got us impatient," said Sigler, whose team shot 38% in the second half and was 3-for-13 overall from 3. "We got away from getting post touches and ball reversals, and we talk about that so much. Their possessions, they got what they wanted out of their offensive possessions. … They're very disciplined, very fundamental and do an excellent job of execution."
Woodard led all scorers with 18 points, plus 12 rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal, while Elmore registered 12 points, four rebounds, an assist, two blocks and a steal. Mollie Ernstes rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points and three assists.
Columbia City Eagles guard Kyndra Sheets (12) attempts to score against Jennings County Panthers Alivia Elmore (20) on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, during the Hall of Fame Classic girls basketball tournament at New Castle Fieldhouse in New Castle. The Columbia City Eagles defeated the Jennings County Panthers, 56-47.
Jennings County falls to 14-2 and will host sectional rival Bedford North Lawrence on Jan. 3.
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Columbia City improves to 14-2 and plays at Bellmont on Jan. 5.
3rd: Lake Central 51, Indian Creek45 (OT)
Indian Creek stormed back from a 14-point second-half deficit to force overtime, but the offense went stale in the extra session and Lake Central escaped with a six-point win.
It was a nice bounce-back performance by the Indians, who were on the wrong-end of a blowout loss to Jennings County in the day's second semifinal. They shot 46% in the first half (35% overall), with six triples in the first half after converting just one against JC. Vanessa Wimberly led Lake Central with 19 points, eight rebounds, four assists, a block and a steal, while teammate Aniyah Bishop contributed 11 points. Ayla Krygier logged 11 rebounds.
Lake Central's guard Kennedie Burks (1) yells in excitement with Lake Central's guard Vanessa Wimberly (23) on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, during the Hall of Fame Classic girls basketball tournament at New Castle Fieldhouse in New Castle. Lake Central defeated Indian Creek, 51-45.
"It just wasn't us (against Jennings County)," LC coach Joe Huppenthal said. "I guess it's good that it happened now and we got it figured out, but came out in the first half of this game with great energy and emotion. I don't know if it took a little fatherly love or what, but we responded."
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Faith Wiseman registered her second double-double of the day for Indian Creek, piling up 19 points on 9-of-14 shooting with 19 rebounds, four assists and four blocks. Lauren Foster was a rebound shy of a double-double, collecting 12 points and nine rebounds to go with five assists. Sophomore Ayla Lollar finished with eight points for Indian Creek, which shot 40% as a team and out-rebounded LC, 38-27.
Semifinal 1: Columbia City 75, Indian Creek 69
Indian Creek trailed by as many as 13 in the second half before clawing its way back to make it a two-possession game in the final minutes of regulation. Senior Lauren Foster capped the Braves' final rally with a deep 3-pointer that cut the score to 71-67 with less than a minute remaining. But Columbia City fought off those rallies at the free throw line, where it converted 13-of-15 attempts in the fourth quarter (22-for-27 overall).
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"That team doesn't quit," Columbia City coach Amy Shearer said of Indian Creek. "I watched a lot of film on them, and they're very hard-nosed, scrappy — a blue-collar kind of team."
Addison Baxter accounted for 13 of those free throw attempts (12 makes) and finished with a game-high 31 points, plus eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals over 24 minutes (limited in the first half due to foul trouble). The Bulter commit, who is six points away from 1,000 for her career, was joined in double figures by Kyndra Sheets (13), Faith Frey (11) and Tessa Tonkel (11). Tonkel also logged four assists and four steals for the Eagles, who forced 19 turnovers (12 steals) — seven in the first quarter alone.
Columbia City shot 49% from the field with a 7-for-15 mark from 3.
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Faith Wiseman led Indian Creek with 28 points, 13 rebounds, two assists and a steal. The IU commit was 9-for-12 from the field and earned 13 free throw opportunities (converted 10). Foster tallied 22 points and six assists, while Ayla Lollar added 13 points over her 30 minutes played.
Indian Creek was hampered by those aforementioned turnovers, but shot 55% from the field as a team. It out-rebounded CC, 29-22.
Semifinal 2: Jennings County 60, Lake Central 22
Juliann Woodard finished within reach of a quadruple-double, clocking 21 points, 22 rebounds, six assists, five blocks and a couple steals as the Panthers laid a 38-point drubbing on Lake Central in the day's second semifinal.
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Woodard did her damage on 7-of-12 shooting with a couple 3-pointers, plus a 5-for-8 mark at the line. The Michigan State commit was joined in double figures by sophomore Mollie Ernstes, who registered 16 points (four 3s) and four assists. Alivia Elmore recorded three assists and a couple blocks for the Panthers, who shot 44% from the field (50% in the first half) and 40% from 3.
Vanessa Wimberly led Lake Central with eight points.
"Defensively, we really understood personnel," Jennings County coach Kristi Sigler said. "We talked about personnel, worked on it all week, understood their strengths and the kids bought in. We were ready to go from the start. ... And from an intensity perspective, we didn't let up. I couldn't be more proud of the way they came out ready to go, especially in an environment like this because they've never been in this before."
Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen .
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA girls basketball: 2023 Hall of Fame Classic roundup
