Lady Raiders fall short to Gering in B-6 semis

SCOTTSBLUFF — Sidney High School girls’ basketball coach Tyler Shaw sat solemnly on the bleachers late Thursday evening at Western Nebraska Community College, perhaps trying to replay two or three situations that ended with the Lady Raiders playing for tonight’s Scottsbluff B-6 District championship.

But it’s likely that in each scenario, the thoughts simply bounced off, like so many shots did in a mind-blowing, 37-35 semifinal upset loss to Gering.

Even though his team’s defense literally cemented a brick wall at the center-line in the final two minutes, Shaw’s Lady Raiders appeared to be shooting at a covered rim for most of the evening, making just 7 of their final 45 shots over the final three quarters.

After cutting the Lady Bulldogs’ lead to two points late, neither team scored again, with SHS coming up blank despite having eight possessions in the final 2:02.

And when Sarah Krueger’s potential game-winning 3-point attempt fell off, the SHS season was over at 16-7.

Gering, which shot a blistering 8 of 13 in the third period, was held scoreless in the final 6 minutes, 2 seconds, turning the ball over 13 times in the fourth quarter alone, and 33 for the game.

“We had so many shots that didn’t go down,” Shaw said. “Kylee (Price) had a couple 3-pointers that went in and out, and if just one or two of those drop, it’s a different game.”

Sidney appeared ready to complete a season’s sweep of Gering, having narrowly won two regular-season matchups.

Karissa Segelke beat the first-quarter buzzer with a jump shot off the right side, and the Raiders led 14-7 heading into the second period.

However, Gering (12-11) wasn’t about to fold. Using some of its height to block and alter shots, the Lady Bulldogs began frustrating the Raiders on offense. Sidney’s downfall from the floor began in the second quarter, when it made just 1 of 15 field-goal tries, but still maintained a lead at halftime, 18-13.

“We didn’t want to give Sidney easy layups,” Gering coach Adam Freeburg said. “We didn’t give them a lot of open looks, and whatever shots Sidney did put up, we wanted to contest.”

Freeburg’s Lady Bulldogs came out red-hot in the second half, taking the lead for good when Alexa Anderson buried a 3-0 pointer off the left wing, and reserve forward Katie O’Boyle bagged a three-point play off an offensive rebound.

Suddenly, the Raiders were behind, 27-22.

“Give Gering credit,” Shaw said. “They had a good game plan to keep us at bay, and we got complacent while they were making shots.”

Another Anderson basket and a transition score by Kaylee Spreier helped Gering cap a 20-point third quarter, good for a 33-26 lead.

“That third quarter really helped us,” Freeburg understated.

Gering kept turning up the heat by scoring the first two baskets of the fourth quarter for a 37-26 command. Then, much like a big-stack poker player, the Lady Bulldogs sat atop their chips and watched the lead slowly melt away.

Sidney went scoreless midway through the fourth quarter, but things got interesting when Jeni Heeren popped a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 2:40 remaining, making it 37-32. Sarah Mahr made one of two free throws a few moments later.

Segelke then scored a layup off a loose ball at 2:02, putting the final score on the board.

The rest of the game was simply frustration for SHS, whose last eight possessions resulted in six missed shots and two turnovers, one on a held-ball possession arrow.

Gering was turnover plagued, but did manage one thing in the closing seconds, and that was to hang onto the precarious two-point edge.

The Lady Bulldogs were guilty of all types of infractions in the final two minutes, such as a five-second inbound call, a 10-second back-court violation, a player-control push-off, and a traveling whistle during a wide-open layup.

“We got the defensive stops and rebounds when we needed them,” Freeburg said. “But boy, that final two minutes felt like a half-hour. We really struggled against Sidney’s pressure in the final minute or so.”

No Gering player finished in double figures, with Anderson and Megan Upp both scoring nine each. Segelke, making her final senior appearance along with Heeren, Price, Krueger, Madi Malzahn and Morgan Linneman, led all scorers with 10 points, but she struggled through a 4 for 20 shooting performance.

“I told all the seniors that I am proud of them,” Shaw said. “ Right now it feels like the most important thing to them, but more concerned with them being better people. I am happy with the way we battled and came back.”

Gering will meet McCook in tonight’s title game.

Scottsbluff B-6 semis at WNCC

Gering 37, Sidney 35

SIDNEY (16-7)

Mahr 1-7 2-4 4, Segelke 4-20 2-4 10, Price 1-7 0-2 3, Rowley 0-2 0-0 0, Linneman 1-4 0-0 2, Heeren 2-7 0-0 6, Porter 0-2 2-2 2, Krueger 2-4 0-0 4, Malzahn 1-3 0-0 3, Cole 0-0 1-4 1. Totals 12-56 5-16 35

GERING (12-11)

Upp 4-12 1-4 9, Rogers 0-3 0-0 0, Anderson 4-7 0-0 9, Mitchell 2-5 0-0 4, Gellner 0-2 0-0 0, Spreier 3-7 0-0 6, O’Boyle 1-1 1-1 3, Vacha 2-4 0-0 4, Schultz 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 17-43 2-5 37

Sidney 14 4 8 9—35

Gering 7 6 20 4—37

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3-point goals – Sidney 4-16 (Heeren 2-4, Malzahn 1-2, Price 1-4, Mahr 0-2, Segelke 0-3, Rowley 0-1, Krueger 0-2), Gering 1- 5 (Anderson 1-2, Upp 0-2, Vacha 0-1). Rebounds — Sidney 27 (Mahr 6), Gering 37 (Mitchell 9). Turnovers — Sidney 16, Gering 33. Team fouls — Sidney 9, Gering 16. Fouled out ‑— Anderson.