For three quarters on Tuesday, it appeared the Todd County Central girls’ basketball team was on the way to an opening-night loss against visiting Apollo. But after ratcheting up the defensive intensity and getting some long-distance heroics from two players at opposite ends of their careers, the Lady Rebels overturned an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit on the way to an improbable 43-40 victory.
Senior Abby Williams is no stranger to the big shot after four years in the spotlight for the Lady Rebels. 8th-grader Jordyn Shemwell looks to be on a similar trajectory, and she did her best Williams impression on Tuesday with a pair of huge three-pointers with the game on the line.
However, it was the E-Gals that enjoyed the early advantage, leading 10-8 after Jennifer Lee and Taraya Thompson combined for eight first-quarter points. Alexis Taylor scored six points in the first quarter for the Lady Rebels, but after she picked up her second foul, Lee went to work in the paint for Apollo.
Williams’ five points were the only offense in the second frame for Todd Central, and Lee posted nine to help the E-Gals to a 23-13 halftime advantage.
Lee’s jumper midway through the third quarter gave Apollo its largest lead of the night at 27-15, but Taylor’s free throws with eight seconds left capped a 7-2 run to build some momentum going to the final quarter.
Lee scored four straight to restore an 11-point cushion and force a Todd Central timeout, but it was all Lady Rebels the rest of the way. Using a full-court press to speed up and turn over the E-Gals, the Lady Rebels were within a bucket after Williams connected from behind the arc with 4:54 to play.
Back-to-back putbacks by Lee gave her 25 points and put the E-Gals in front 39-31, but Williams and Shemwell drilled three-pointers on consecutive possessions to cut the lead to a basket with :58 seconds on the clock. After one of two free throws for Apollo, Shemwell connected again from deep to tie the game at 40-40.
The Lady Rebels twice hit one of two free throws before Apollo came up empty on two attempts. With Todd Central leading by three with six seconds left, the E-Gals squandered their final chance with a turnover on a walk in the backcourt.
Only three players got in the scorebook for the Lady Rebels, led by Williams with 20 points. Taylor battled foul trouble on the way to 15, and Shemwell scored all eight of her points in the fourth quarter.
Lee was the only E-Gal in double figures with a game-high 25. Thompson finished with seven, and Jenna Dent and Liz Gardner each scored four.
