By RYAN WALKER
PONETO — Southern Wells squeaked out yet another close victory down the stretch in its 34-31 victory over the Cowan Blackhawks (3-17) Wednesday night.
This is now the Raiders’ (6-14) second win in a row with a spread of less than three points with last week’s barn burner against Heritage 36-35.
Southern Wells head coach Jessica Killingbeck attributed the win to the team’s love for its lone senior, Karlee Warner, on Senior Night. The players on the floor and the bench were energized the entire game along with the boisterous student section chanting her name all night.
“It just shows how much Karlee really means to this team,” Killingbeck said after the game. “I could tell on the bench how much (the team) really wanted it for Karlee because of how much she’s poured into this program. She’s the type of player that it doesn’t matter what grade you’re in or who you are, she will take anybody under her wing. She’s a great leader and I think tonight’s win just shows her how much this team appreciates her.”
Warner started the game and the third quarter, and hit a jumper near the free-throw line that began the second half.
Southern Wells had the lead for the majority of the night despite Cowan’s constant fight to come back.
Both teams hit the same number of shots in the first half (seven), but the Raiders gained a 19-15 edge with a pair of triples by Grace and Collena Reeves.
Just as the Blackhawks sniped a one-point lead with two minutes left, Collena Reeves hit her only two field goals in the half to regain the lead by four.
The Raiders held the Blackhawks in check in the third quarter to just two made shots, while scoring nine points in the process. Collena Reeves hit her second triple of the night and scored eight total points in the game. She had more open looks in the backcourt, and perhaps more than usual due to the threat in the post Kenzie Paxson and Ashlie Needler present.
The duo of forwards are coming off of a double-double game against Heritage and other teams are starting to key in on them, but that opens up the gates from long range.
“Kenzie and Ashlie have been such a threat down low for us that (opponents) are starting to collapse on them and are now opening up our three-pointer shooters,” Killingbeck said. “And as a three-point shooter, you should be really happy about that.”
Even though they hit one more three than Cowan did, Southern Wells certainly would take it in its three-point victory.
The fourth quarter was where Cowan lived to give itself a chance.
Three-straight buckets to open the fourth quarter after Needler’s basket inched the deficit to just 30-26 in favor of the home team.
Needler punched back with two more makes in the post, but Brooklyn Hall was fouled on three straight possessions and had her opportunity at the charity stripe.
The first was a shot at a three-point play, but she did not convert. The second was on a close call down in the paint by Paxson, and she hit both of them. That brought the score down to 34-30.
The third go around was with 40 seconds to go when Erika Beavans reached in too far and got the Blackhawks in the automatic double-bonus. She hit one of the free throws, and the Raiders rebounded.
After rushing down the floor, the Raiders had a wide-open look with Paxson down low and just missed the bottom of the net, giving it right back to the Blackhawks.
On the final possession, Cowan cleared room for Elizabeth Sizemore, who had nailed the only triples for her team, at the top of the key. Her open shot just tinkered off the rim and Southern Wells secured the rebound and the win.
Killingbeck has been happy with the way her team has fired themselves up in the final part of the regular season. They’ve won two close games in a row and have a legitimate shot to make it to the sectional final. Their matchup with Lakeland Christian (9-12) next Friday at Northfield High School is one that they saw in Game 2 of the season. The Raiders won that first meeting 42-21, but Killingbeck thinks the Cougars have gotten much better, but so have her Raiders.
“I think we’re taking the things that we’re talking about in practice and starting to implement and transition those into game-like scenarios,” Killingbeck said. “We’ve started to work on situations in practice and talking about scenarios like this tonight … I think those types of things they’re soaking in in practice”
Their regular-season finale will be on the road against Southwood, a makeup game from earlier in the season. The junior varsity game will not be played, and the varsity will start at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
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SOUTHERN WELLS 34, COWAN 31
At Southern Wells
COWAN (3-17): Davelynn Lindsay 6-15 0-0 12, Brooklyn Hall 2-8 3-5 7, Elizabeth Sizemore 2-9 0-0 6, Madison Morris 1-2 0-2 2, Alyssa Stevens 1-2 0-0 2, Savannah Hall 1-8 0-2 2, Kylee Bergstorm 0-0 0-0 0, Reagan Gill 0-2 0-0 0. TOTALS: 18-46 3-9 31.
SOUTHERN WELLS (6-14): Ashlie Needler 6-10 14, Collena Reeves 3-10 0-0 8, Kenzie Paxson 2-5 1-4 4, Gracie Reeves 1-3 0-0 3, Karlee Warner 1-4 0-0 2, Erika Beavans 1-4 0-0 2, Kyah Thomas 0-1 0-0 0, Aubrey Meyer 0-0 0-0 0, Kaylea Coffel 0-1 0-0 0.TOTALS: 14-38 3-7 34.
Cowan 5 10 4 12 –– 31
So. Wells 8 9 9 6 –– 34
Three-point FG: Cowan 2-16 (Sizemore 2-9, B. Hall 0-2, S. Hall 0-2, Stevens 0-1), Southern Wells 3-14 (C. Reeves 2-7, G. Reeves 1-2, Thomas 0-1, Warner 0-3, Coffel 0-1). Rebounds: Cowan 20 (S. Hall 11, B. Hall 3, Lindsay 2, Morris 2, Stevens 2, Southern Wells 24 (Needler 11, Paxson 7, C. Reeves 5, Coffel 3, Beavans 2, G. Reeves 1, Meyer 1). Turnovers: Cowan 9, Southern Wells 15. Fouls: Cowan 5, Southern Wells 12. Fouled Out: None. Technicals: None.
JV: No game.
