By Chris Parker
Nixa entered its third game in three days facing Class 5 No. 5 Marshfield in the White Division semifinals.
The Lady Eagles did not show any fatigue never trailing in a 56-45 win.
“It is the third day of the tournament, and these tournaments can be kind of tough. I was proud of us for playing gritty there at the end. Maybe our shots weren’t falling (and) we were missing some inside, but I felt like in that second half we locked down our defense a little bit better. We were able to get some stops and string that together with some scores, which was a big deal,” Nixa head coach Jenny Talbert said.
Nixa jumped out to a 5-0 lead and led throughout except for 14 seconds when the game was tied at 7-7.
The Lady Eagles had to keep Marshfield at arm’s length as the Lady Jays hung around for much of the game. Nixa’s lead was 11-10 after one quarter and 25-18 at the half.
In the third quarter, Marshfield cut the Nixa lead to three at 25-22.
Then Lilly Mahy happened.
Mahy knocked down her first of four three-pointers in the quarter to extend Nixa’s lead back to six. Later in the quarter, Mahy three 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to take Nixa’s lead from six at 34-28 to 12 at 43-31.
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“In girls basketball threes are kind of like dunks sometimes, especially when you get a bunch of them in a row. She (Mahy) is capable of getting hot. We see it all the time at practice, and we have seen it in games,” Talbert said. “She is a great shooter. When they give her some space I like (our) chances of her making those. That was big for the team; a lot of momentum.”
Mahy finished with 14 points. Nixa was led by Taylor Wood’s game-high 17 points. Brooke Teter also scored in double figures for Nixa with 13 points.
Marshfield was led by Quinn Aldridge with 12 and Lauren Luebbert with 10.
Nixa will get another shot at Greenwood (Ark.) in the White Division championship game. The Lady Eagles finished runner-up in the Pink Division to the No. 1 seeded team last season.
“We are excited. Our goal was to get to the championship game and now our goal is adjusted to let’s go win it,” Talbert said. “Why play in this tournament unless you are going to go take care of business and win on the last day. I think they are going to be fired up and be ready.”
No. 2 seed Nixa faces No. 1 seed Greenwood (Ark.) at 6 p.m. on Saturday
Nixa 56, Marshfield 45
Marshfield – 10-8-13-14 – 45
Nixa – 11-14-18-13 — 56
M: Quinn Aldridge 12, Lauren Luebbert 10, Peyton Ward 9, Tilly Greenfield 9, Abby McBride 3
N: Taylor Wood 17, Lilly Mahy 14, Brooke Teter 13, Sadie Conway 5, Gwen Kubik 3, Laila Grant 2
