CROTHERSVILLE

Sharpshooters can make or break a game in the fourth quarter.

For Crothersville’s girls basketball team, they propelled it to its first victory of the season Tuesday.

Crothersville senior Kashmir Kelshaw buried a pair of treys midway through the fourth quarter to force visiting Indianapolis Manual to change defenses.

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That opened it up for fellow senior Katrina Christian, who went on a 14-point tear down the final stretch to help guarantee a 71-55 Crothersville (1-1) Henryville Tip-Off Tournament victory.

The Tigers outscored Manual 24-10 in the fourth quarter.

Back-to-back 3-pointers from Kelshaw put the Tigers up 54-49 with 5:21 left in the game after leading 48-45 after three quarters. Christian then scored 13 of the next 17 points.

“I kept telling the girls to be patient,” Tigers coach Kevin Hensley said. “In the first half, our shots weren’t falling. Kashmir had two big threes in the fourth quarter that made them change their defense. Once they went man, it made our offense run really fluidly and Katrina got some open shots.”

The bulk of the first three quarters didn’t see either team build much of a lead.

After opening the game on a 3-pointer by junior Lacey Hall, the teams tied three times before a steal and and-one conversion by Piper Hensley put the Tigers up 11-8 with 2:07 in the first quarter.

Both teams struggled with turnovers, as Crothersville had five in the opening eight minutes and Manual gave the ball away eight times.

Following baskets from Christian and Hall, the Tigers went into a full-court press in the final minute as they led 15-12.

Manual’s Trinitee Johnson got the offense running in the second quarter, as she drew three fouls and scored five of her 13 total points.

A turnaround jumper from Lashelle Mitchell put Manual up 17-16 to give them their first lead with 5:24 in the half.

The teams traded 3-pointers before intermission as they deadlocked at 26-26.

Six different Tigers scored points in the third quarter.

Manual built their biggest lead of the night at 34-29 before a 3-pointer by Kelshaw and basket from Hall cut it to 36-34 with 4:03 on the clock.

Back-to-back baskets from the Tigers’ Maddie Riley, a three from Hensley and basket in the waning seconds by Kalynda Hoevener gave them a 47-45 lead after 24 minutes of play.

Manual outrebounded Crothersville 39-31, but the home squad won the turnover battle 24-13.

Christian led the Tigers with 22 points, Hall had 17, Kelshaw 12 and Hensley 11.

Mitchell recorded 16 points and Johnson had the next most for Manual with 12.

Hensley said that senior Madison Reynolds did a good job of shutting Mitchell down in the second half, allowing just two points.

“We kept telling Madison to front (Mitchell),” he said. “She was standing behind her and letting her catch first before shooting over her. She worked her tail off in the fourth quarter.”

The Tigers will host Shawe Memorial tonight for the last pool play game. They will play again Saturday in Henryville.