Bella Kilps
GREENSBURG — Hauser had a good first eight minutes of Tuesday’s girls basketball sectional opener against Switzerland County, but the other 24 told a different story.
As good as the first was for the Jets, they couldn’t muster enough offense to get the lead back from the Pacers in the fourth quarter, thus ending their season with a 47-36 loss in the North Decatur Sectional.
“We had a great week of practice. We had a great week of prep. I thought that we were really prepared. We had a really great first quarter. Now moving forward for our program, it’s about playing 32 minutes,” Hauser coach Kyle Shipp said. “We’ve got to find ways to not have those lulls in scoring like we do, finding ways to get stops. They came out in the second and found their footing a little by some of their role players that haven’t produced much, but they’re seniors, and that’s what seniors do in big games. We’ll grow up, and we’ll get there.”
One couldn’t ask for a better start for the Jets (6-18). When it looked like Switzerland County (13-11) was going to take control of the game leading 6-2, Hauser locked in and finished the quarter on a 14-2 run capped off with a Norah Berkenstock 3-pointer at the buzzer to lead 16-8.
The Jets’ lead was short lived. The Pacers came back with an 8-0 run of their own to tie the game at 16-16 with 6:25 left in the first half. Switzerland County finished out the half on an 8-2 run, and like what Hauser did in the first quarter, the Pacers’ Molly Wrightsman hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lead 29-25 at the break.
While the Jets didn’t shoot any free throws in the first half, Switzerland County could have added to its lead, only converting 2 of 8 from the line in the first half.
Hauser trailed only 37-30 after the third quarter, but the Pacers opened the fourth on a 8-0 run to eventually seal the game with less than three minutes remaining.
Bella Kilps led the Jets with 13 points, while Abby Manley added eight. Switzerland County put three in double figures, with Macy Collier leading the way with 15 points. Halle Archer finished with 13, and Bri Stow added 12.
Kilps was the lone senior playing on the court for Hauser in her final outing of the season. The other two seniors, Mattie Foster and Erykah Everroad, were out for the latter portion of the season.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Bella, one of the most coachable kids I’ve been around. She’s knows every position on the floor. She knows everything that we want to do,” Shipp said. “She’s going to lead us in rebounding. She’s going to lead us in assists. She’s going to be ranked first in her class. She goes about her business in a matter that just is unfathomable that I’ve been around on a daily basis. I can’t speak highly enough of her.
“Mattie Foster coming back after missing a year was giving us good stuff at the beginning of the year, and ultimately, the injury took her out,” he added. “Same thing with Erykah, we were getting some good production from her and then all of a sudden, she’s not medically cleared to play any longer. Losing those two kind of hurt, but it gave us the ability to get our younger kids some minutes, and I think that’s going to pay off in the future. You’re going to see some of the development and growth that we are going to have next year, and that’s because of the struggles we had this year.”
Switzerland County 47, Hauser 36
Hauser;16;9;5;6;—;36
Switzerland County;8;21;8;10;—;47
Hauser (6-18): Norah Berkenstock 2 0-2 5, Bella Kilps 5 0-0 13, Kennedy Konradi 0 0-0 0, Chloie Phelps 2 0-0 4, Willa Wetzel 0 0-0 0, Abby Manley 3 0-2 8, Haven Hartwell 2 0-0 4, Aleigha Wickliffe 1 0-0 2. Totals: 15 0-4 36.
Switzerland County (13-11): Molly Wrightsman 1 0-0 3, Courtney Higgins 0 0-0 0, Lauren Smith 2 0-2 4, Macy Collier 7 1-4 15, Halle Archer 4 2-2 13, Bri Stow 4 2-4 12. Totals: 17 5-12 47.
3-point goals: Hauser 6 (Kilps 3, Manley 2, Berkenstock); Switzerland County 6 (Archer 3, Stow 2, Wrightsman).
