[wpbvideo id=”324718″]
By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Walnut Grove, Mo. — Walnut Grove utilized a balanced scoring attack and a hypersonic tempo to down Wheatland 60-47 Thursday night.
Four Lady Tigers reached double figures in the contest, a rematch of last season’s Class 1 state quarterfinal. The Lady Mules pulled off a thrilling overtime upset that afternoon en route to a third-place finish in Class 1.
Since the season-ending loss, the Lady Tigers and head coach Rory Henry have been eagerly anticipating an opportunity to even the score.
“We’ve had this one circled,” Henry said. “It’s big time, and it’s become a good rivalry between the two teams.”
Walnut Grove senior Grace McPhail also talked about the loss — one which broke a conference winning streak dating back to 2011 — being a huge motivator for the team.
“Today’s the day we’ve been waiting for the longest time,” McPhail said. “I’ve been thinking about this game, literally, since March. We don’t want to have that feeling that we had last year. We ended a streak, and that’s something that we do not need to be doing again.”
Just over nine months later, the rematch did not disappoint.
From the opening tip, both teams pushed the tempo to a frantic pace in an effort to seize early momentum.
Walnut Grove (6-0) jumped out to an 8-0 run on baskets from sophomore all-state selection Faith Gilkey and classmate Lauren Johnson; however, Wheatland (4-2) wasted little time returning fire.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
The Lady Mules answered with six straight points from senior Madi Sutt — another all-state selection — and sophomore Kennedy Griffin.
Wheatland found early success weaving through Walnut Grove’s full-court pressure, which led to a host of finishing plays in the paint.
Lady Mules head coach Jeremiah Bryan was pleased and surprised at his team’s change of pace.
“That was a different type of play that I haven’t seen from my girls in a while,” Bryan said. “We did get inside a lot, which isn’t like us most of the time. We usually hit a bunch of threes, or at least shoot a lot, but I don’t think we shot very many threes tonight.”
Sutt closed out the quarter with a personal 5-0 run to put Wheatland up 19-17.
After some quick adjustments in between quarters, Walnut Grove tightened up its defensive play in the second.
The Lady Tigers jumped out with a 7-0 run to open the quarter on baskets from McPhail, Johnson and sophomore Makayla McVay.
Walnut Grove also opened up its transition game in the quarter by forcing nine turnovers.
“We wanted to get the game going as fast as possible and put a lot of pressure on [Wheatland],” Henry said. “We did a good job, but I felt like we also missed some opportunities.”
Bryan also lamented missed opportunities by the Lady Mules, particularly during a second-quarter slump.
“In the second quarter, we kind of shut down and didn’t play defense and didn’t block out,” Bryan said. “They outscored us by 13, and we lost by 13. One quarter against a team like [Walnut Grove] can kill you.”
Leading 38-27 at the half, Walnut Grove was able to keep its near the double-digit mark throughout the third quarter and ended with a nine-point margin at 48-39.
In the fourth, Sutt and sophomore Samantha Shultz helped get Wheatland out to a fast start.
With just over six minutes to play, a pair of free throws from Schultz trimmed the deficit to a mere five points.
Following a timeout, Walnut Grove responded with a back-to-back baskets from Johnson and McPhail.
McPhail’s basket, a timely 3-pointer, pushed the Lady Tiger lead back into double digits, where it would remain for the rest of the game.
“I felt good tonight, and I think it really helped our team a lot,” McPhail said. “It helped our team get back in it. All that energy started coming up, and it was like, ‘OK … we got this. We can do this.’ We needed those big shots.”
Finishing with 12 points, the senior leader showcased a knack for knocking down shots in big moments during the game, something Henry has come to expect.
“That’s what we’ve been asking of [McPhail],” Henry said. “Exactly that; to be a senior and to hit big baskets. We told her we think she can get 10 to 15 every night, and in the last three games now, she’s hit big baskets late when we really need it. I’m very proud of the way she’s stepped up in that capacity, for sure.”
Gilkey, Johnson and McVay joined McPhail in double figures for Walnut Grove with 16, 15 and 15 points, respectively.
Despite being disappointed with the Lady Tigers’ defensive play, Henry praised his team’s competitive spirit.
“When [Wheatland] made runs, I think our kids just kept their composure,” Henry said. “When they made runs, we went right back at them, and I think that’s the mark of a good team. We’ve got a lot of room for improvement, and I’m proud of the fact that we’re finding ways to win games.”
While the victory doesn’t rewrite last season’s chapter, McPhail was relieved to finally turn the page and look forward.
“This should be a statement win for us,” McPhail said. “We’re still here, and we’re coming. We’re not stopping.”
Varsity Final: Walnut Grove – 60, Wheatland – 47
Wheatland 19 08 12 08 — 47
Walnut Grove 17 21 10 12 — 60
Wheatland scoring: Madi Sutt – 19, Kennedy Griffin – 9, Taylor Hunt – 6, Heavenly Lewton – 4, Amaia Betolaza – 4, Samantha Schultz – 3, Maddie McGrady – 2
Walnut Grove scoring: Faith Gilkey – 16, Lauren Johnson – 15, Makayla McVay – 15, Grace McPhail – 12, Myranda McVay – 2
