Menu
Lady Tigers spring upset of visiting Warrensburg
The Nevada Lady Tigers put it all together in their 44-37 West Central Conference victory over Warrensburg at Wynn Gym.
The Friday night triumph improves Nevada to 7-14 overall and 3-6 in WCC-play, while Warrensburg falls to 13-8 (5-5 WCC).
"It was a great victory," an elated Lady Tigers' head coach Brent Bartlett told the Daily Mail shortly after the fourth quarter horn sounded. "I'm really proud of the girls, it was definitely a team-effort."
Nevada played arguably its best basketball of the season, opening the game on a 15-5 run capped by a Calli Beshore 3-pointer.
An Emily Johnson lay-in maintained Nevada's 10-point lead at 17-7 late in the first quarter. The opening frame then ended in style, as Beshore knocked down another one from long-range to hand Nevada a 20-10 advantage.
After scoring the opening points of the second quarter, Nevada proceeded to go on an 8-0 run, courtesy of two buckets from Teagan Charles and one apiece from Beshore and Hailey Jackson.
Nevada doubled up Warrensburg with the mini-blitz, as the Lady Tigers led 28-14 with 3:50 remaining in the first half. Warrensburg, however, closed out the half on a 6-0 spurt to trim its deficit to eight.
Over the course of the second half, Warrensburg slowly crept back into the contest, trailing 34-31 after three quarters of play.
A Brianna Munsterman lay-in with 5:53 remaining in regulation brought Warrensburg to within a point at 34-33. With the Lady Tigers still clinging to its one-point lead after suffering a two-minute offensive drought, Beshore rescued Nevada with a 3-pointer from near the top of the key. Beshore's critical trey gave Nevada a four-point cushion.
The Lady Tigers then salted away the game from the charity stripe, as both Jackson and Beshore knocked down clutch free throws down the stretch.
"Our defense won the game for us," Bartlett said, "noting that his squad held Warrensburg's Alli Rhone in check. "They were chipping away at us, but our defense kept us in the game. In the second half we really switched a lot of defenses to keep them off-balance."
It was Beshore, however, who was the star of the game, as the electrifying freshman point guard tallied a game-high 23 points.
"Calli was upset she missed some shots she thought she should have made," Bartlett said with a wry smile. "Calli has special ability, but also works as hard as anybody I've coached. She gets to practice early, stays late and works on her all-around game. And she's not the only one."
Bartlett said he was also thrilled with the play of his post-players.
"Teagan (Charles) and Lindsey (Phebus) are really stepping up rebounding," the veteran coach said. "Emily Johnson is giving us some good minutes inside."
"Bartlett continued," Sammy (Gundy's) athletic ability is keeping our guards fresh the way we rotate them, and that's what we want.
"This win is satisfying because I see how hard this group of kids works. They've done everything I've asked them, they've been like sponges. And for me to see the team be successful ---- it just melts my heart."