Tigers win home finale

Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Nevada senior Bailey Harbit tries for two points during the Tigers final home game of the season. Ralph Pokorny/Daily Mail

By Jason Peake

Daily Mail Sports Editor

NEVADA -- The final home game of the season definitely went well for the Nevada High School girls basketball team.

Nevada freshman Rilie Good scores two points during Monday's game.

A 12-0 run in the first half propelled the Tigers to a 52-42 win over Springfield Central on Monday night.

Simply put, the Tigers were solid on both ends of the floor.

"I'm pleased," Nevada Coach Brent Bartlett said. "I like how we're coming together. We knew it was going to be a physical game. They play in a rough league. It was tough inside and they were trapping on the outside. They made us work hard offensively. And we had to work real hard defensively because we knew they had three good outside shooters."

On a night when the team's two seniors were honored, Nevada got contributions from everyone that stepped on the floor.

Freshman guard Mikayla Bartlett scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead the way for the Tigers (13-9). Junior guard Ashley Shumaker added 10 points and three steals and classmate Tori Dahmer contributed nine points and seven rebounds. Freshman Rilie Good had six points, five blocked shots and five rebounds off the bench. Junior point guard MacKenzie Pritchett hit two threes for six points while running the offense.

Central led 13-11 late in the first quarter when Nevada got hot from the perimeter and also switched to a man-to-man defense, which produced a few takeaways immediately. The Tigers went on a 12-0 run to pull away.

"Ashley Shumaker jump-started us," Bartlett said. "She got some steals and layups. That's what we needed. We're at our best when we're switching defenses. Our girls have bought into that and they're doing a great job."

The Tigers led 28-18 at halftime and were up eight entering the fourth quarter.

With a 10-point cushion in the fourth period, Nevada began to run clock, forcing the Bulldogs to come out and foul.

The Tigers got late free throws from Mikayla Bartlett, Good and Bailey Harbit for the final margin.

Offensively, Nevada shot 45 percent on field goal attempts, making 17-of-38. The Tigers made three of nine three-point attempts. Nevada hit 15-of-23 free throws.

Central shot just 27 percent from the field (12-of-45). The Bulldogs made just four of 22 three-point attempts and eight of 23 from inside the arc.

Central's Brittany McClelland led the Bulldogs (4-16) with 12 points.

Nevada heads to McDonald County on Friday night. The two teams met less than a month ago in Nevada, with the Mustangs pulling out a 41-38 win over the Tigers.

Senior Night

Two seniors were recognized on Monday night, although only one got to play. Harbit and Tiffani Long are the team's lone seniors. Out with a foot injury, Long just learned that she needs to sit out three more weeks, basically the rest of the season.

"I hate it for Tiffani," Bartlett said. "She's meant an awful lot to our program over the last four years. You can't replace someone that talented. Life is not fair sometimes. She's disappointed and we're all disappointed."

As far as Harbit, she had the NHS student section cheering her name late in the contest.

Harbit hit one of two foul shots late in the game to get in the scorebook.

"She's one of the smartest kids I've coached," Bartlett said of Harbit. "I know she'll be successful in life. And it was nice to see her hit the 50th point tonight. Those two seniors have meant a lot to our program."

JV girls win

Late points from Cheyenne Brewer and Nikiya Feezell sealed a 37-28 win for Nevada in the JV girls game.

Nevada 52, Spr. Central 42

CEN 13 5 12 12 -- 42

NEV 13 15 10 14 -- 52

Nevada: MacKenzie Pritchett 2 0-0 6, Mikayla Bartlett 4 7-9 16, Tori Dahmer 4 1-2 9, Rilie Good 1 4-6 6, Ashley Shumaker 4 2-2 10, Morgan McNeley 2 0-2 4, Kelsey McCall 0 0-0 0, Bailey Harbit 0 1-1 1. Totals 14-29 (3-9) 15-23 52. Three-pointers: Pritchett 2, Bartlett 1. Turnovers 10. Rebounds 26 (Dahmer 7, Bartlett 6, Good 5). Steals 7 (Shumaker 3, Dahmer 2, Harbit 1, Good 1). Blocks 8 (Good 5, Dahmer 2, Pritchett 1).

Total FG: 17 of 38.

Springfield Central: Rush 8, McClelland 12, Steinmetz 8, Kunze 7, Cody 7. Totals 8-23 (4-22) 14-15 42. Three-pointers: Rush 2, McClelland 1, Kunze 1. Turnovers 11. Total FG: 12-of-45.

Half: Nevada 28-18.

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