Crothersville hurt by missed free throws

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CROTHERSVILLE

The Crothersville girls basketball team was unable to come up with a key basket or make a defensive stop when it needed to in the closing minutes of Tuesday’s game against Brown County and lost 60-56.

“We let this one get away from us,” Tigers coach Kevin Hensley said. “It was just little mental mistakes is what got us beat — not understanding situations, and knowing roles on the team.”

Those mistakes included missing free throws, unforced turnovers, not blocking out on rebounds and not covering Brown County’s perimeter shooters.

The Eagles made eight 3-pointrers to two for the Tigers. The Tigers had 18 turnovers, while the Eagles had six.

“We were trying to play a 2-3 zone because we knew they weren’t a great shooting team, but when it got late, we had to go man, and then we kind of got hurt when a couple defenders didn’t stay on their shooters,” Hensley said.

The Eagles held a 46-45 lead entering the fourth period before the Tigers tied the game at 49 on a basket by Tayler Brewer with four minutes remaining.

Another layup by Brewer tied the score at 51 with 2:35 remaining, but that was the final tie of the night.

The Tigers made 14 of 25 free throws with four of those misses coming in the fourth period. The Eagles also had trouble at the line, as they made only 6 of 15.

Maddie Riley helped the Tigers get off to a good start, as she scored three field goals in the opening period to help her team to a 16-6 lead.

Riley picked up her second foul early in the second period, and Hensley said that was a key factor that allowed the Eagles to close the difference to 16-12. Brown Bounty outscored the Tigers 21-14 in the second period to trail only 30-27 at the half.

“It hurts us any time Maddie goes to the bench,” Hensley said. “Maddie does so many good things. She’s not just a scorer.”

A 3-point basket by Riley put the Tigers on top 33-29 early in the third period before the Eagles went on a 9-0 run to lead 38-33.

The Tigers (11-6) had balanced scoring with Riley scoring 15 points, Brewer 14 and Piper Hensley 11.

Brewer had 13 rebounds, and Riley had 10.

Brown County (7-9) had four players in double figures, topped by Dasia Wilkerson with 19 and Abby Hollander with 17.

“It seems like every team that comes in shoots a high percentage, and I don’t know if that’s our defense of if they’re on fire that night,” coach Hensley said.

The Tigers will host Edinburgh on Thursday night.

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