Longhorns hand Eagles first loss
By DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
South Nodaway’s Mallory McConkey gets past Jefferson’s Amber White en route to the hoop. South Nodaway came away with the 43-40 road win.
CONCEPTION JUNCTION — Some streaks must come to an end.
The No. 9 South Nodaway girls’ basketball team knocked off No. 1 Jefferson for the first time since the 2013-2014 season on Thursday night by a score of 43-40.
It went down to the wire before Mallory McConkey got her fingertips on a three-point shot from Kelsi McQuinn that would have sent the game to overtime.
South Nodaway head coach Aaron Murphy had a good idea that the ball was going to be in McQuinn’s hands for the final possession.
“I figured she would be somewhere around it,” he said. “We put our best defender on their best player. That’s how it ended up. The game could have went 100 different ways. We were fortunate to win this one, but we understand there’s a lot of season left.”
The Longhorns held a 38-34 lead with just under six minutes in the fourth quarter when McQuinn knocked down a three-pointer to cut the lead to 38-37.
Mallory McConkey extended the Longhorn lead to four again with just over two minutes with a jumper from the elbow that made it 41-37.
McQuinn responded with another triple to cut the lead to 41-40 with 1:57 left to go. Jefferson came up with a stop, but was unable to convert at the other end. Mallory McConkey got the ball and made both of her one-and-one free throws.
Jefferson’s Mikayla Mattson attempted a three-pointer on the next possession, but it went off the rim and South Nodaway’s Kaylin LaMaster grabbed the rebound.
She missed the front end of the one-and-one. The Eagles came up with the rebound and head coach Tyler Pedersen called timeout to set up the final play.
Murphy said he told his girls to hang on for one more possession and they would have the win.
“I just told them to bend, but don’t break,” he said. “We had to communicate. Their sets are hard to defend. One little error and they have a layup and their guards can shoot the three-pointer. I told them to make sure they had each other’s backs.”
The McConkeys and Sydney Harlan — the team’s three seniors — played a huge role in the win.
Mallory McConkey finished with 17 points while Harlan had 10 and Meaghan McConkey had five points, five rebounds, four assists and a block.
Kaylin LaMaster added 10 of her own.
Harlan’s baskets came in big moments while Meaghan knocked down key free throws and Mallory came up with the game-saving block.
Murphy said it was a great example of leadership.
“There’s three seniors right there doing their jobs,” he said. “We had some young girls come in and get some playing time off the bench and that was big. Having those three lead the charge and finish it is what you want out of your seniors. They definitely stepped their game up.”
Pedersen said he was proud of his girls for the way they fought down the stretch.
He knew his team had chances, but the ball just didn’t go in the basket.
“We didn’t get the looks we wanted and that has a lot to do with their defense,” he said. “We did have our chances down the stretch and I’m proud of our girls for putting themselves in that position.”
For the three seniors, it was a game they’ve had circled on their calendars all season.
“It feels good,” Harlan said. “This hasn’t been done in a really long time. We just stuck together and pulled it out. We’ve been waiting for it for a long time.”
McQuinn finished the game with 14 points for the Eagles. Twelve of those points came on four three-pointers.
Both team’s next games will come Jan. 9 in the Stanberry Invitational, which runs through Jan. 14
SOUTH NODAWAY (10-1): SCORING (FG made-att., 3 PT made-att., FT made-att.) — Mal. McConkey 17 (5-5, 2-3, 2-2); Harlan 10 (2-4, 2-4, 0-3); Mea McConkey 5 (0-3, 1-2, 2-2); LaMaster 11 (4-6, 0-0, 2-4). TOTALS: 43 11-18 (61%); 5-9 (55.5%); 6-13 (41%).
JEFFERSON (10-1): (FG made-att., 3 PT made-att., FT made-att.) —McQuinn 14 (1-4, 4-8, 0-0); Schmitz 7 (3-8, 0-0, 1-1); Ste. Chor 6 (0-1, 2-6, 0-0); Deen 5 (1-2, 0-0, 3-4) Sa. Chor 5 (1-2, 1-3, 0-0); M. Mattson 3 (0-0, 1-2, 0-0); A. Mattson 2 (1-2, 0-0, 0-0). TOTALS: 40 6-17 (35%); 8-19 (42%); 4-5 (80%).
By DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
Jefferson’s Kelsi McQuinn chases down a loose ball against South Nodaway on Thursday. She had 14 points, but the Eagles lost 43-40.
By DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
South Nodaway’s Sydney Harlan cuts through the Jefferson defense during the Longhorns’ Thursday night battle against the Eagles. Harlan had 10 points an 43-40 Longhorn win
By DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
South Nodaway’s Meaghan McConkey passes the ball against Jefferson on Thursday. She finished with five points in the 43-40 Longhorns’ win.
