"The last person out of Adrian had to turn out the lights" was Head Girls Basketball Coach Shaun Bruto's remark in the post-game interview when asked about the amount of community support the Lady Blackhawks received in their semi-final 54-46 victory over Oran.
The most anticipated weekend in Adrian basketball history got underway Thursday, March 9 when the 29-1 Blackhawks squared off with the 27-3 Oran Eagles. Neither team had ever advanced beyond sectionals but, to Adrian's credit, they had Skyline to face last year when they advanced to the sectionals round.
Adrian had trouble out of the gate with Oran's full-court press and found themselves down 7-1 early in the game. The Lady Blackhawks have proven over the course of the year to be a resilient bunch. They countered that stretch with an 8-2 run of their own to tie the game at the end of the first quarter. Coming back from a bad start is usually the turning point in the game but this one was different. Oran regained control and took a commanding lead after scoring the first 14 points of the second quarter. With less than 4 minutes to play in the half, Adrian trailed 23-9, having gone scoreless the entire quarter.
The early deficit and comeback was indicative of how the girls have overcome obstacles this season. They kept their composure and never gave up. How they would handle the latest setback is a testament to the toughness and determination this team has been blessed with. The halftime score was 23-20 in Oran's favor but the seemingly insurmountable lead was a faint memory. During halftime, the Lady Blackhawks regrouped. "We went into halftime and we kind of got our nerves out of our system," said Senior Anna Walley. "We came back out and really took control of our defense and our offense and really executed everything we could."
The Lady Blackhawks dominated the third quarter, outscoring Oran by six points and securing the lead by three going into the final quarter. Adrian's defense was stifling. The Eagles all-state player, Leah Cauble, scored 24 points. It's a fine point total but it was 9 points less than her season average of 33 points per game. No other player on the Eagles team scored more than 7 points.
The Lady Blackhawks were more balanced with their scoring. They had three players in double figures and another just a missed free throw from joining the club. That balanced attack was matched by having two players, Anna Walley and Lauren Shipley, each pulling down double digit rebounds.
The combination of a strong defense and a scoring attack that couldn't be stopped by guarding one player allowed the Blackhawks to collect fouls and extend their lead. With visions of a state title in their eyes, the girls hit key foul shots down the stretch to claim victory.
Coach Bruto concluded with the following: "The girls played really hard and had to gut out a victory in this game. We were down 14 in the second quarter but found a way to claw back to within 3 at the half and took the lead late in the 3rd quarter. The girls showed lots of heart and character tonight; I'm very proud of them."
Total Points
Lauren Shipley 18
Anna Walley 15
Bailey Reed 12
Jenna Shipley 9
3-Pointers: Lauren Shipley and Bailey Reed, 1 each
Free throws
Lauren Shipley 7/10
Bailey Reed 3/5
Anna Walley 3/4
Jenna Shipley 1/2
Rebounds
Anna Walley 13
Lauren Shipley 11
Jenna Shipley 8
Bailey Reed 4
Sheldon Tallman 1
Kerigan Wimsatt 1
Camryn Pruitt 1
Assists
Lauren Shipley 5
Sheldon Tallman 3
Jenna Shipley 2
Anna Walley 1
Turnovers
Bailey Reed 8
Lauren Shipley 3
Sheldon Tallman 3
Jenna Shipley 3
Camryn Pruitt 1
Blocks: Anna Walley 3
Steals
Sheldon Tallman 2
Jenna Shipley 2
Anna Walley 2
Bailey Reed 1
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