Early struggles bite Mustangs
JASON LAWRENCE/DAILY FORUM
North Nodaway junior guard Breann O’Riley finishes in transition despite pressure from Fairfax’s Emma Morris during the semifinals of the 83rd annual Fairfax tournament. The Mustangs lost 41-25 Wednesday night and will play for third place at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Fairfax was looking to exact a little revenge Wednesday night, and did exactly that, beating the North Nodaway girls’ basketball team 41-25 in the semifinals of the 83rd annual Fairfax Tournament.
The Lady Mustangs beat Fairfax 41-37 for third place in the Northwest Missouri Tournament back in December, but the Bulldogs’ pressure had the Mustangs rattled from the get-go in the host-team’s tournament.
“We got frustrated pretty quick,” North Nodaway head coach Sami Jackson said. “For us, this was a pretty big game. Not only are they a team that’s in our conference, but it was ‘If we win, we get to play for first place.’ It was a big game for us, and knowing that we had beaten them before — I think getting down like we did, we just got really frustrated and that’s what hurt us throughout the whole game.”
While both teams struggled out of the gate, the Mustangs had built an 8-5 lead with under 30 seconds to go in the first quarter. However, Fairfax junior guard Emma Morris banked in a three-pointer to tie the game up and then beat the buzzer with another jumper to put the Bulldogs up 10-8 at the end of the first quarter.
That momentum spilled over into the second quarter where the Bulldogs’ full-court press repeatedly forced the Mustangs into mistakes.
“They did a good job of forcing us where they wanted us,” Jackson said, “and we kept going for it. That’s something we’ll definitely learn from and work on and be ready for next time.”
By halftime, Fairfax had pushed out to a 21-12 advantage, and with 4:45 to go in the third quarter a free throw by Fairfax’s Halle Sutter gave the Bulldogs their first double-digit advantage — and forced North Nodaway sophomore center Madison Thompson to the bench with her third foul.
“With our team, it’s a big thing because of our aggressiveness, not just because of our (limited) bench,” Jackson said. “Without even meaning to, we lose our aggressiveness. We do well when we’re aggressive and intense. When we lose that, that’s when we start to fall back. The fouls really hurt us there with that.”
North Nodaway never got closer than 10 the rest of the way, as the Bulldogs’ Ryan Hopkins hit a contested jumper to beat the third quarter buzzer and then scored the first five points of the fourth quarter — on her way to a game-high 14.
The Lady Mustangs were led by eight points from junior guard Breann O’Riley and six points from Thompson.
North Nodaway (7-8) will play Nodaway-Holt (7-6) for third place at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17.
The Lady Trojans have beaten the Mustangs twice already this season, 47-35 in the Mound City Tournament and 42-41 on Jan. 9 in Graham.
JASON LAWRENCE/DAILY FORUM
North Nodaway senior guard Sam Frueh makes her way to the rim during the Lady Mustangs’ 41-25 loss to Fairfax Wednesday evening in the Fairfax Tournament semifinals.
JASON LAWRENCE/DAILY FORUM
North Nodaway junior guard Breann O’Riley takes a shot from downtown during the Lady Mustangs’ 41-25 loss to Fairfax in the Fairfax Tournament semifinals Wednesday evening.
