FBA knocks off BP girls
Published 11:01 pm Monday, February 27, 2012
Blooming Prairie's Tori Poe fights up a shot against the defense of Faribault Bethlehem Academy's Lauren Matthews, left and Taryn Ashley in Mayo Civic Auditorium Monday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
ROCHESTER — The Awesome Blossoms had no answer for Faribault Bethlehem Academy junior guard Jessie Matthews in the second half as they saw their season come to an end in a 64-38 loss in the Section 1A West Division girls basketball semifinals at Mayo Civic Auditorium Monday.
Blooming Prairie's Tricia DeBoer forces a jump ball with Faribault Bethlehem Academy's Megan Hoisington in Mayo Civic Auditorium Monday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Matthews poured in 25 of her 31 points in the second half as No. 2 seeded FBA (19-9 overall) broke open what was a six-point game at the half.
“It’s never easy to get beat up by one player, but she deserves everything she gets,” BP head coach John Worke said. “She’s a good kid and she works hard.”
The No. 3 Blossoms (14-12 overall) held Matthews in check in the first half as she scored just six points against their zone defense. But Matthews hit a couple of outside jump shots early in the second half to force BP to make a defensive switch to man-to-man.
“They started passing quickly and hitting open shots,” Worke said. “I knew if we went to man it wouldn’t be pretty, but I thought maybe Jenna (Krell) and Shelbi (Swenson) could tag team on (Matthews).”
BP hung with FBA for most of the first half and they tied the game at 17 when Madison Worke hit a three with 2:15 left before the break. The Cardinals scored the last six points of the half as Megan Hoisington sealed the rally with a buzzer-beating jumper to make it 23-17.
BP freshman Taylor Hagen scored 14 of her 18 points in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to keep BP in the game.
“We wanted to build up a positive to get out there and play harder,” said Hagen, who added 11 rebounds and six blocks. “(Playing in the Civic Auditorium) was fun, but it’s hard to lose. Hopefully this helps us for next year.”
No other BP player had more than five points.
Blooming Prairie Center Taylor Hagen pulls down a rebound over Faribault Bethlehem Academy's Maria Palmer in the Section 1A West Division girls basketball semifinals in Mayo Civic Auditorium in Rochester Monday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
“When we do well, we have four girls in the 12 or 15 point range and when we’re not doing well, we just have one up there,” Worke said.
BP senior Cortney Easton finished with two points, eight rebounds and four steals.
BP 17 21 — 38
FBA 23 41 — 64
BP scoring: Taylor Hagen, 18; Madison Worke, 5; Tricia DeBoer, 4; Sara Noble, 3; Tori Poe, 2; Cortney Easton, 2; Jenna Krell, 2; Marissa Jensen, 2; free throws: 90 percent (9-for-10); rebounds: 35 (Hagen, 11); turnovers: 21
FBA scoring: Jessie Matthews, 31; Lauren Matthews, 8; Maria Palmer, 7; Taylor Schwab, 4; Taryn Ashley, 4; Megan Hoisington, 4; Payton Schultz, 2; Lizzie Roushar, 2; Jenna Brown, 2; free throws: 77 percent (17-for-22); rebounds: 44 (Palmer, 11); turnovers; 16
