Lady Rockets Move Past Slow Start Into Region Semifinals

Through the first half of play, it looked as if a really good season for the Crittenden County Lady Rockets might come to an end with a resounding thud in the opening round of the Girls 2nd Region Tournament Tuesday night against the Union County Bravettes. The Lady Rockets were battling foul troubles. They could not get the ball to find the basket and made only three field goals during the first two quarters of the game.

Even with all of that, Crittenden County trailed by just four at the half. And it turns out the Union County Bravettes would end up regretting not having put more distance between themselves and the Lady Rockets with their big half of defensive effort.

Getting a big second half from Anna Boone and Jordyn Hodge, Crittenden County came from behind and then held off Union County 46-39 to move on to the region semifinals.

Union County got out to the quick lead Tuesday night. A basket from Dana Curry, followed by a three from Paige Steward, put the Bravettes up 5-0.

Crittenden County finally got on the board with a basket from Bristyn Rushing with 5:30 to go in the opening quarter. Elliot Evans added a basket to trim the lead to 5-4. And then things got quiet on the offensive end for a while.

With both teams playing tight defense, neither got many good looks at the basket over the next three minutes of gameplay. Union County broke the stalemate on a basket from Paige Steward that made it 7-4 with 2:00 to go in the first.

Steward added a layup inside the final 30 seconds that gave the Bravettes a 9-4 lead after one. Steward was the only player on either team to have more than one field goal in the first eight minutes of the game.

Defense continued to be the story of the night as the second quarter got underway. Neither team found the scoring column until a 3-pointer from Dana Curry extended the Union County lead to 12-4 with 4:30 to go in the half.

After a pair of free throws for the Lady Rockets, Miley Mendoza buried a three from the right side that extended the Bravettes’ lead out to 15-6.

The Lady Rockets could not find the basket in the second quarter but hung around due to their free throw shooting. Crittenden County went on a stretch of 5 of 6 shooting at the line to close to within 15-11.

Crittenden County finally broke a field goal drought of more than 12 minutes when Jordyn Hodge scored on a runout to cut the Union County lead to 15-13. That would be the only field goal of the second for the Lady Rockets.

Paige Steward connected on a pair of free throws in the final seconds of the half to send Union County off to the break, holding an 18-14 lead. After scoring 7 points in the first quarter, Steward had only those free throws in the second.

Frosty cold shooting in the first 16 minutes for both teams was the story. Union County was 6 of 17 for 35.3 percent. Crittenden County was even colder, shooting 3 of 17 from the field for 17.6 percent.

Crittenden County was able to hang around due to getting to the line. The Lady Rockets were 8 of 12 at the line in the half, while Union County was 3 of 4 at the stripe.

Crittenden County played much of the first half without either Anna Boone or Andrea Federico, both of whom picked up two early fouls.

Those two made a quick impact when they returned to the lineup to start the second. Each scored a basket in the opening minute of the third quarter as Crittenden County tied the game at 18-18, prompting a quick timeout from Union County coach Cory Coble.

Crittenden County, who fell behind early 5-0, took its first lead of the night on a basket underneath by Andrea Federico that made it 24-23 with 5:13 to go in the third quarter.

A basket from Miley Mendoza temporarily slowed down the Lady Rockets’ momentum and made it 25-24 with Union County back in front. However, Crittenden County scored seven unanswered to take a 31-25 lead, the last bucket of the run being a Jordyn Hodge three from out front.

But the Bravettes were not going to go away quite that easy. Union County responded with five straight to cut the lead to 31-30, and that would be the score as the third quarter came to an end.

Crittenden County scored the first five points of the final quarter and looked to have everything going its way with a 36-30 lead. But the Bravettes looked up and said, “Not so fast.” Union County scored five of their own to cut the lead to one at 36-35.

Two quick baskets from Jordyn Hodge put the Lady Rockets up 40-35 inside the final three minutes of the game.

Anna Boone came up with a steal and then a runner in the lane to make it 43-37 with just under a minute to go. Union County came right back and got the ball to Addison Tamayo underneath to cut the lead back to 43-39 with 45.2 seconds to go.

Andrea Federico made 1 of 2 at the line with 39.9 seconds to go, pushing the lead to 44-39. Union County got a good look at a shot on a drive to the basket from Paige Steward, but the shot would not go down. After grabbing the rebound, Anna Boone made two free throws to seal the win.

Jordyn Hodge topped the scoring column for Crittenden County with 14 points. After not scoring in the opening half, Anna Boone finished with 13 points. Elliot Evans scored 7 points, and Andrea Federico added 6 for Crittenden County.

Paige Steward was one of two players to hit double figures for Union County with 14 points. Dana Curry chipped in with 11. Miley Mendoza hit two timely threes and ended up with 8 points.

Both teams struggled from the field in the game, shooting less than 35 percent. The difference was the Lady Rockets got to the line and knocked ’em down, shooting 21 of 30 to the Bravettes 8 of 11.

With the win, Crittenden County improves to 22-7 on the season and moves on to Friday night’s regional semifinals where they will take on the Christian County Lady Colonels.

Union County finished the season with a record of 16-12.