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Buttorff reaches 1,000, NEVC girls top Sheldon
By Eric Wade
Daily Mail Sports Editor
SHELDON -- Northeast Vernon County High School senior Camille Buttorff is a player who has long been feared around the Golden Valley Vernon County Conference and one who Sheldon Lady Panthers head coach Jason Irwin called "the best player in the conference." Buttorff entered Friday night's contest at Sheldon High School with a chance to back up that praise and become the first Lady Knights player in roughly a decade to join the 1,000-point club.
Midway through the fourth quarter of the Lady Knights' 44-27 victory over Sheldon, Buttorff did exactly that, helping her team pull away late to seal the victory.
"My girls are playing hard," Lady Knights head coach Jeremy Barger said after the contest. "Anytime you've got Camille Buttorff, you're going to be all right."
Buttorff led the Lady Knights' offensive effort with 14 points in the contest, pushing her career total to 1,005 points. Though Buttorff was still the most significant thorn in the Lady Panthers' side on the night, Irwin was still pleased with his team's effort in holding her under her season average of 22 points per game.
"I told the girls, I'm happy with what we did on her," Irwin said. "Her only scoring 14, I'm happy."
Before the contest began, Irwin said he would be happy if his defense was able to hold Buttorff to 12-14 points in the opening half, but with a tireless defense that made almost constant use of double- and even triple-teaming on Buttorff, the Lady Panthers far surpassed that expectation, holding Buttorff to just five first-half points. Buttorff wasn't the only one who felt the sting of that tough defense, however, as the Lady Knights were held to just 27 percent shooting from the field in the game's first 16 minutes.
"I think the 1,000 points definitely had some pressure on her," Barger said of his lone senior. "I mean, she was forcing a few there at the beginning, (and) she fumbled a few she wouldn't normally fumble.
"They did a really good job there, my hat's off to them. They corralled her all game and didn't let her get free."
That stiff defensive effort was more than enough to keep the Lady Panthers in the contest, but Irwin's squad wasn't able to capitalize as it put forth the same 6-for-22 shooting effort the Lady Knights did from the field. That poor offensive showing, on top of several Lady Panthers fouls, gave NEVC a wide open shot to pull away, but Barger's squad struggled from the free-throw line in the opening half, as well, making just four of 12 shots.
Though the Lady Knights were able to find a bit more rhythm, offensively, as the second half began, the contest was far from over. The Lady Panthers hung right with them, continuing to employ the same stiff defensive strategy in the third quarter on their way to entering the fourth quarter down by just six, at 26-20.
"Sheldon's a really gritty team," Barger said. "They may not have the best talent, but they grit and fight and I'll give them every bit of that."
As the fourth quarter began, however, the Lady Knights and Buttorff came to life. Though the grit and intensity the Lady Panthers showed all night long continued, it simply wasn't enough as the Lady Knights put on their strongest offensive performance of the night in the contest's final 8 minutes.
By the time all was said and done, Buttorff not only broke the 1,000-point barrier in the period, but scored seven of her team's 18 points in the period.
"She plays hard, she's a good talent," Barger said of Buttorff and her efforts. "She'll probably play some college ball somewhere."
The Lady Panthers were simply unable to keep pace, ultimately losing the quarter, 18-7, to drop the 17-point decision.
Buttorff's 14 points led the Lady Knights in the contest, while Mikelah Moyer and Amber Bogardus both nearly broke into double figures, finishing with eight apiece. Logan Lamb led the Lady Panthers with nine points, while Destiny Shelton added eight.
Next on the schedule for the Lady Knights is Tuesday, when they head back out on the road to take on Appleton City. The Lady Panthers are set to be back in action the same night, at Bronaugh.