Lady 'Jays finish revenge tour
Tabor avenges early losses to Ottawa, ninth-ranked Southwestern
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
The game of basketball has many games to play.
Horse, pig for those not wanting a long game, around the world, or maybe even 21.
If you're the Lady Bluejays (16-10, 10-6 KCAC,) how about a game of 67?
Nearly a month to the date, Tabor dropped a 67-66 heartbreaker in Hillsboro to the highly ranked Southwestern Lady 'Builders (13-3 KCAC, 22-4).
In one of their less well-executed games, Tabor blew a huge lead to fall victim to a crushing assault.
Those remnants had to be fresh in the Bluejays' minds Saturday night as they made the long voyage to Winfield to take on the ninth-ranked 'Builders in a rematch.
Vanquishing the Ottawa Lady Braves two nights earlier, the Bluejays' vengeance tour portion of their schedule is complete.
Every once in a blue moon, the table will turn on the same score that beat you.
It took a buzzer beater by Rachelle Wertenberger in overtime, but Tabor was able to sneak out of Winfield with an ironic 67-66 win.
Stopping the Builders comes in three separate segments — Nikki Nicholas, Missy Lungren and Andrea Mohr. Keep them under control, more than likely, its smooth sailing in the long run.
Nicholas won't be forgotten any time soon, sealing the Bluejay coffin in Hillsboro, sinking the final bucket with 13 seconds left in the previous meeting.
Despite giving up a combined 32 points from the trio, a career-high 25 points from Jill Hein, not to mention a balanced scoring onslaught was enough to pull Tabor through.
Even more, the Bluejays overcame a 26-21 margin in taking care of the ball.
The Builders had the lead the whole way except after Erica Hemmert who scored a basket 3:26 into the first half to put Tabor ahead, 8-7.
Hemmert finished with just five points, but her game-high 11 rebounds followed by Donya Anderson's came up huge.
Tabor still tumbled in the battle rebounding, 43-37.
From there until the final buzzer of regulation, the Bluejays were trying to play catch-up.
The Builders ended the first half on a mini 4-0 run to take a 35-27 edge in at half despite Tabor shooting 44 percent from the floor.
The Bluejays came surging back the second half, using a 13-0 run in the first 5:29 to regain the lead, 40-35.
All but two of the points came from Hein.
SW all but lay down, regaining the lead with an 8-0 with half of the run coming from Nicholas, who finished with 10 points.
Lungren and Whitney Corley tied for a team-high 17 points, and it was a pair of charity tosses from Corley that knotted the game up at 50 with 4:31 left in regulation.
With 1:09 left in regulation, Wertenberger added 11 of her 14 points to send the game to an extra round with it tied up at 55.
By then, Tabor's inside game had folded over after Anderson and Nicole Ellis had been disqualified.
Angela Kroeker had 12 points in the fray, her basket with 4:44 to go in overtime gave Tabor a 57-55 lead.
Barely over a minute later, Tabor was down 61-57.
Shooting 43 percent at the free throw line, somehow Tabor cut the lead to a possession.
Hein struck once more with 25 seconds left, to tie the game at 64 before Corley made it a 66-64 game with five ticks to go.
Then Wertenberger donned the cape, draining a triple at the buzzer to give the Bluejays the dramatic win.
The Bluejays face a tough road game tonight in Leavenworth against St. Mary for a 6 p.m. meeting.
Tabor closes out its regular season Saturday night with a 5 p.m. showdown against the Friends Lady Falcons.
