Seeded seventh, the Blair High School girls basketball team finished fourth Monday during the final day of the Eastern Midlands Conference (EMC) Tournament at Lincoln Standing Bear.
“I don't know where we fall. Take us out,” Bears coach Matt Aschoff said. “But we just played three of the top-four teams in Waverly, Gretna East and Norris.”
The Class B No. 6 Bears won at Waverly on Dec. 21, but lost back-to-back tight games to the EMC champion Griffins and the third-place Titans. Norris beat BHS 50-46 in both squads' tourney finale Monday morning.
Even so, Aschoff was proud of his Bears' effort to battle through the bracket to its final day of competition.
“We're the only team, boys or girls, that played four games in this tournament,” he said, drawing attention to how Blair had to play a preliminary game against Hastings on Dec. 20. “The only team. The only team that had an upset in the second round.”
It appeared as if Aschoff's team was on the verge of another minor upset against fifth-seeded Norris, too. Down 7-0 early, the Bears battled back Saturday, pulling within 21-20 at the end of the first half on Kate Wulf's corner 3-point make.
Two more long-range buckets to start the third period — by Addie Sullivan, who had a team-best 18 points, and Wulf — put Blair ahead, 26-21, too.
BHS' advantage was short-lived, however, as the Titans built leads as large as seven points during the second half.
Still, the Bears worked their way back into contention for third, cutting Norris' lead to 46-44 when Wulf and Beau Wendt again connected from beyond the 3-point arc during the fourth quarter. Cadence Field's free throws with a little more than 2 minutes remaining actually even the score at 46-all before the Titans tallied the final four points of the game.
Ultimately, the EMC tournament loss dropped Blair to 4-3 this season.
“I love coaching them,” Aschoff said of the Bears. “They show a lot of grit. They fight.”
He took blame for the close losses to both Gretna East and Norris, but said, “We'll adjust.”
Blair was scheduled to play Hastings again Thursday before next Tuesday's game against Bennington, the EMC's runner-up.
Bears drops tight semifinal
BHS fell just short of reaching the EMC championship game, dropping last Saturday's tournament semifinal at No. 4 Gretna East, 38-31.
The Bears fell behind 15-6 through one period, but bounced back and trailed just 24-22 going into the final quarter. Coach Aschoff's team, notably, allowed just three made baskets and three free throws during the middle periods.
The Griffins, however, outscored BHS 14-9 across the final 8 minutes, earning an EMC title opportunity.
Taytum Macholan led Blair in defeat, scoring 14 points with two made 3-point attempts. Sullivan added seven points, too, while Wulf notched five.
Karli Williams, meanwhile, led Gretna East at home, scoring 14 points.
BHS BASKETBALL LINE SCORES
Monday
No. 8 Norris 50, No. 6 Blair 46
BHS (4-3) 7 13 13 13 — 46
NHS (4-3) 11 10 16 13 — 50
Scoring: BHS — Addie Sullivan 18, Kate Wulf 9, Beau Wendt 6, Cadence Field 4, Madeline Chikos 4, Taytum Macholan 3, Ally Sullivan 2.
NHS — Landri Gates 16, Aryanna Wegner 12, Izedora Tidball 8, Marlee Emerson 6, Alli Bornschlegl l 4, Bree Chambers 4, Roselynn Madsen 2.
Saturday
No. 4 Gretna East 38, No. 6 Blair 31
BHS (4-2) 6 6 10 9 — 31
GE (6-2) 15 3 6 14 — 38
Scoring: BHS — Macholan 14, Ad.Sullivan 7, Wulf 5, Field 3, Hayden Frink-Mathis 2.
GE — Karli Williams 14, Sonora De Fini 7, Maggie Pfaff 5, Addie LaRock 4, Taylor LaRock 2, Madi Shelburne 2, Hailey Levinson 2.
