Oftentimes, when you are looking for a sweet treat, it seems to go better with sprinkles on it. For the Owensboro Lady Red Devils Saturday, their come-from-behind win over the Christian County Lady Colonels did go better with ‘Sprinkles’, or actually because of ‘Sprinkles’, Shalyn Sprinkles that is.
The senior guard scored 37 points, 27 of them in the second half and overtime as she almost single-handedly willed the Lady Red Devils back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to get the game to overtime and then led the way for Owensboro in overtime to take a 64-61 win over Christian County.
The game was a tough, physical game on both ends of the floor with intensity on the floor and in the stands.
Led by the play of Anaysia Bagwell and NeVaeh Day, Christian County looked to have things going their way for most of the game. The Lady Colonels took a 12-4 lead in the first quarter. Owensboro battled back to cut it to 15-13 when the quarter ended.
The Lady Colonel defense limited the Lady Red Devils to one made free throw, one made 2-point shot, and one made 3-pointer in the second quarter as Christian County took a 27-19 lead into the break.
Bagwell, Day, and DaNiya Bradley combined to score all of Christian County’s points in the first 16 minutes of the game.
The Lady Colonels scored the opening basket of the third quarter to push the lead out to ten at 29-19. The margin never got closer than 10 for the rest of the quarter as Christian County was up 42-31 going into the fourth quarter.
The lead was still at double figures at 48-38 as the game entered the last half of the fourth quarter. And then it was Shalyn Sprinkles time, again and again and again.
Owensboro went on a 14-1 run and took a 52-49 lead inside the final 30 seconds of regulation. Christian County scored to cut the lead to 52-51 and after getting the ball back, NeVaeh Day was fouled with 4.6 seconds to go attacking the basket. Day missed the first free throw but made the second to force the extra period.
The Lady Red Devils opened the overtime with a 10-2 spurt to take a 62-54 lead. To their credit, the Lady Colonels did not fold up. They cranked up the defense, crashed the boards, and attacked the basket. They twice got within 3, but Owensboro was able to do enough at the line to lock up the win.
NeVaeh Day was Christian County’s leading scorer with 23 points and she pulled down 20 rebounds. Anaysia Bagwell finished with 22. DaNiya Bradley added 9 points.
In addition to Sprinkles 37 points, Abby Sapp and Heleina John scored 9 points each.
Free throws were a big, big deciding factor in the game. Christian County made just 10 of 22 at the line. Owensboro knocked down 22 of 30. Included in that was an amazing performance at the line from Shalyn Sprinkles, who was 17 of 18 from the stripe.
Christian County drops to 8-7 with the loss. The Lady Colonels are scheduled to host Webster County Tuesday night.
