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Call it a defensive struggle. Call it, at times, a bit ugly.
The Carl Junction girls’ basketball team continues to call it just one thing: winning.
The Bulldogs, in their trademark low-scoring, defense-first style, locked down Osage to earn a 36-26 victory in Saturday night’s Class 4 quarterfinals at SBU in Bolivar.
The outcome sends Carl Junction to the state final four for the first time in program history. The Bulldogs (27-2 overall, Class 4 No. 2 in state coaches’ poll) face top-ranked Incarnate Word Academy (26-4 overall) at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 16 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia in a semifinals clash.
“We’re all ecstatic and ready to go state, but we all know our job’s not over,” said Carl Junction junior Megan Scott. “We’re not going to stop there. We’re going to try to go all the way and get a ring.”
GAME PHOTOS: CARL JUNCTION VS. OSAGE
Carl Junction exorcised some past demons as well on Saturday night. A year ago, CJ blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead in an eventual overtime loss to Owensville.
Same venue, same round, heck, same bench for CJ one year later.
“When we walked in to this building, everyone was sick to their stomach thinking about the loss last year,” Scott said. “Everyone was crying after that game and we didn’t want to experience that again.”
Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter addressed the 2016 quarterfinals loss before the game and said Saturday night was a chance for the Bulldogs to make new – and more memorable – history.
“It was in their minds and I didn’t want them to be thinking about it without addressing it,” Shorter said. “We just addressed and said, ‘Let’s make history tonight in the same locker room we were in last year at the same facility with the same colored jerseys on the same bench. We can do it.’ We played hard, played together and came out with a big victory.”
CJ never trailed in the game, but points were at a premium. Kerrigan Gamm’s three-point play pulled Osage within 29-24 with 5:51 remaining.
The Bulldogs answered, of course, with defense by forcing Osage into turnovers on its next three possessions. In between, a three-point play by Scott gave the Bulldogs a 32-24 lead with 3:35 remaining.
“It was a stagnant game,” Shorter said. “It was slow-paced and everybody was calling plays. I think we got the looks we wanted. We want it to be low-scoring. It gives us a better opportunity (to win).”
Scott scored 18 to lead Carl Junction. Gamm led Osage with 11 points.
In two district and two playoff games this month, Carl Junction has yielded an average of 28.5 points per game with its 2-3 zone defense.
“Our defense is what holds us up,” Scott said. “No matter how much we’re struggling offensively, our defense will always carry us. We’ll always have a shot to win a game because of our defense.”
It was Osage’s second-lowest point output on the season, topped only by a 56-25 loss to Southern Boone on Jan. 6.
Osage finishes 22-7 overall. The Indians were also seeking their first final four berth in program history.
As CJ heads to state next week, Shorter gave credit to past players for where the program sits.
“It’s terrific. I’m so happy for our kids,” Shorter said. “They’ve been working really hard. Not only these kids, but the kids that were here last year and the year before. They’ve put in the work to get us here. It’s a total team and program effort.”
Carl Junction 36, Osage 26
Osage 7 8 6 5 — 26
Carl Junction 11 9 9 7 — 36
Osage – Kerrigan Gamm 11, Jordyn Bartlett 7, Kendal Miller 6, Natalie Wood 2
Carl Junction – Megan Scott 18, Alex Vogt 8, Emma Frack 6, Payton Good 2, Lauren Walker 2
