MORGANTOWN — They may be called free throws, but foul shots ended up being very costly for the University girls’ basketball team Tuesday evening as the Hawks missed 15 times from the line to squander a 10-point lead and lose 56-55 at home to Parkersburg South.
“You can’t win a game if you miss 15 foul shots against a good team,” lamented UHS coach Nick Lusk. “We gave it to them, we just gave it away.”
University (6-3) was looking to avenge its lone in-state loss of the season, which came at Parkersburg South last month, and was in good shape to do so, leading by 10 points at halftime and nine after the third quarter. But the Hawks only made two field goals in the fourth while shooting just 5-of-12 from the line in the frame as the Patriots (5-2) came storming back. For the game, University made just 10-of-25 foul shots.
The Hawks have struggled to convert from the line, particularly in the fourth quarter, throughout the early part of the season. It seems to be a team-wide issue as five players missed multiple foul shots Tuesday.
“We’re not that bad (shooting free throws), in practice we shoot them good,” Lusk said. “We’ve got to figure out a way to make them in games, you can’t miss that many against a good team, you just can’t do it.”
Parkersburg South, meanwhile, made 11-of-16 shots from the line, including 5-of-8 in the second half in the come-from-behind victory. Gracie Shamblin sparked the Patriots’ comeback, scoring nine of her team-leading 13 points in the third quarter. Then Luce Cline took over scoring in the fourth, pouring in eight points in the final frame, including the final go-ahead bucket with less than 10 seconds to play. Carrie Rhodes, too, stood out late, making two separate go-ahead layups and a go-ahead free throw in the back-and-forth final two minutes.
The Patriots used a 14-2 scoring run in the fourth to erase University’s lead, punctuated with Rhodes’ first go-ahead layup to go up 53-51 late.
UHS’s Eden Gibson made two free throws with 13 seconds left to take a 55-54 lead, but Cline beat the Hawks’ full-court press on the ensuing possession to hit the game-winner.
“We’re a better team than that,” Lusk said. “We’ve just got to get back in the gym and get back to work.”
Hannah Stemple led the Hawks with a game-high 22 points with four treys but was held in check with just seven points after halftime. Ella Simpson was next on the team with nine points but, like Stemple, was quiet in the second half with no points.
The road gets harder before it gets easier for the Hawks, as they play PikeView and Spring Valley at the New River CTC Tournament in Beckley on Friday and Saturday before hitting the road to rematch Wheeling Park next Tuesday.
Parkersburg South 56, University 55
PS 14 10 13 19 — 56
UHS 19 15 12 9 — 55
PS — Rhodes 2 5-6 9; Shamblin 5 2-2 13; Luce Cline 4 2-3 13; B. Sandy 1 0-0 3; 4 2-2 10; Small 0 0-1 0; Hayes 4 0-2 8.
UHS — Sharkey 1 2-4 4; Gibson 1 2-6 4; Boateng 3 0-2 6; E. Simpson 3 2-2 9; Stemple 8 2-2 22; Weaver 1 2-4 4; Maisel 1 0-5 2; Byers 2 0-0 4.
3 Pt. Goals — Parkersburg South 3 (Shamblin 1, Cline 1, B. Sandy 1).
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