By Brian Hall/For OzarksSportsZone.com
Freshman Kohnnar Patton helped a young Blue Eye Lady Bulldogs team earn a long-awaited win over Crane on Monday night.
“It’s a good win for us. It’s been a long time since we beat Crane,” said Blue Eye coach Ken Elfrink.
The Lady Bulldogs led almost the entire game en route to notching their 16th win of the season, a 72-59 victory. Patton scored a team-high 22.
Elfrink thought this game was going to be a real test for his young squad. “Blue Eye and Crane has always been a battle. This was a game to kind of see where we were at, kind of a benchmark,” he said.
Crane and Blue Eye exchanged the lead three times in the first five minutes of the game. Blue Eye took the lead that they would never relinquish on consecutive treys by Kohnnar Patton. Patton led the way for the Lady Bulldogs scoring 11 of the team’s 21 first quarter points.
Blue Eye (16-4 overall, 4-1 SWCL), with only one senior on their roster, were not intimidated by the numerous state championship banners lining the Lady Pirates walls. Patton, who is a freshman, maybe didn’t know any better.
“We knew if we played our hearts out and lost, then fine. We’d just need to keep working. But we weren’t afraid. We were excited,” she said.
Crane committed seven turnovers in the first quarter as Blue Eye applied full court pressure. “We were able to speed up the game a little bit, play up-tempo, and force some turnovers,” said Elfrink.
And while Crane (7-13, 2-2 SWCL) played their patented tight man-to-man defense, they often fell victim to back cuts to the basket allowing close shots for the Lady Bulldogs. “[Crane] helped a lot on defense and then didn’t rotate and that opened up a lot of girls on our team,” said Patton. “I liked it, but I’m sure they didn’t,” she said smiling.
Fouls plagued both teams throughout the night. “When Patton had to sit in the second period, our bench really stepped up and played well,” Elfrink said. “Maddie Box came in and did a really nice job. Hope Smith and Jaden Box also did a nice job of contributing.”
The Lady Pirates made an effort to get the ball inside the paint during the third quarter, where they had a height advantage. Madison Hicks led the Lady Pirates with 22 points, many of them coming from around the blocks. Crane got the deficit down to seven points with a minute left in the frame but got no closer. “That’s what they do and they’re good at it,” said Elfrink. “Crane is never going to quit. They’ve got two great coaches and they are not going to quit until the final buzzer goes off.”
Blue Eye opened up the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run and got the lead up to 20 points, 65-45, their largest of the night. The Lady Pirates were able to cut into the lead by the final buzzer, but it was too little, too late.
“A lot of girls stepped it up and we wouldn’t have won if it wasn’t for them,” said Patton.
Crane will host Clever on Thursday night and Hollister will head to Blue Eye on Thursday, as well.
BLUE EYE 72, CRANE 59
Blue Eye: 21 – 20 – 17 – 16 — 72
Crane: 15 – 14 – 16 – 14 — 59
Blue Eye: Bettlach, 10; M Box, 2; J Box, 4; Forester, 14; Hansen, 6; Larson, 12; Patton, 22; Smith, 2
Crane: Doto, 5; Edwards, 9; Funcannon, 4; Fulp, 6; Hicks, 22; McMenamy, 10; Vaught, 3
