Jan. 6—TEUTOPOLIS — They started well and ended in the same fashion.
The Teutopolis girls basketball team used a strong first and fourth quarter to separate itself against Paris on Saturday at J.H. Griffin Gym. The Lady Shoes led 14-7 at the end of the first and outscored the Lady Tigers 20-11 in the fourth in their 57-41 win.
“I thought the girls came out and were focused,” head coach Laurie Thompson said. “I thought we got a little loose in the second quarter and definitely let them right back in the game in the third quarter. Defensively, I thought we did a good job. Offensively, I thought we went to the basket.”
T-Town (15-2) opened the game ahead 5-0. Senior Chloe Probst made a pair of free throws and then hit a three-pointer.
Paris answered with a three-point play from sophomore Macy Bicknell.
Junior Anna Probst then hit a midrange shot and junior Malea Helmink made a layup to extend the lead to six points with 4:35 left.
Both teams then traded baskets to end the quarter.
The Lady Tigers started the second quarter on a 4-0 run after freshmen Paedyn Keys and Pailynne Camp made back-to-back layups.
Chloe Probst made a layup and Anna Probst later made a three-pointer, pushing the lead to double-digits with 3:18 left in the half.
Paris senior Graci Watson hit back-to-back three-pointers, cutting the lead to five points. The Lady Shoes ended the half with a three-pointer from Ruholl and a layup from junior Kelsey Niemerg.
The Lady Tigers used a 9-0 run to start the third quarter to take its first and only lead of the game, 28-26. Bicknell hit a pair of layups and a three-pointer during the surge.
“We were trying to run a couple of different plays,” Thompson said. “The first [few] possessions didn’t work out well for us.”
Anna Probst answered with a three-pointer to give T-Town the lead right back, 29-28.
Paris sophomore Kailey Young later hit a tough layup with 2:44 left that tied the game at 30.
Chloe Probst and Niemerg scored five quick points after that. Chloe started by hitting a three-pointer. Then, Niemerg stole the inbounds pass and got her layup to fall to make it 35-30 with 2:21 to go.
Helmink then hit a layup, increasing the lead to seven points.
The Lady Shoes controlled that seven-point lead into the fourth.
Niemerg would then do the rest, scoring nine of her 18 points in the final frame.
“I wouldn’t have guessed Kelsey had 18, but she started going to the basket,” Thompson said. “She made free throws down the stretch. Kelsey has a complete game. She’s tough to stop when she puts it together, so I am glad Kelsey had that nice game tonight.”
Chloe Probst had 16 points. Helmink had six. Ruholl had five and sophomore Jersey Gaddis had one.
Anna Probst finished with 11 points.
“Her shot hasn’t been falling, but Anna’s the type of kid that doesn’t hang her head,” Thompson said. “She keeps at it.”
T-Town finished the game shooting 50 percent from the floor (20-of-40). The Lady Tigers shot 34.8 percent (15-of-43).
Rebounding was also a key for Thompson.
The Lady Shoes out-rebounded the Lady Tigers 28-17
“Rebounding has kind of a been a thorn regardless of who we’re playing because a lot of times we like to stand and watch,” Thompson said. “I thought tonight, we only had that a couple of times.”
T-Town returns to the court on Thursday against Mattoon. The Lady Shoes will then play Carlyle in the Breese (Central) PAWS Shootout on Saturday.
Alex Wallner can be reached at 618-510-9231 or alex.wallner@effinghamdailynews.com.
