Twin Cedars downs M-U in tight one

By ROGER THOMAS, Courier correspondent

BUSSEY — The Twin Cedars girls basketball team clinched at least a tie for the Bluegrass Conference championship with a 60-54 win over Moulton-Udell Friday night in Bussey. The game was typical of a game that should decide a conference championship. Moulton-Udell will still get a tie with Twin Cedars if they can pick up a road win tonight at Murray.

The first quarter of this game was a high-scoring, action-packed eight minutes. Twin Cedars led throughout the quarter, a couple of times by as many as 10 before ending the quarter up 22-15. Baskets by Sydney Veenstra, Alee Hugen and Lindsay Hoehns gave the Sabers an early 6-2 lead. A 3-point play by the Eagles’ Kaylee Stansberry cut the lead to one before Twin Cedars started to take control.

Hoehns added three baskets and got early help from Hugen”s two scores for a 18-8 Twin Cedars lead.

“I was really pumped tonight,” said Hugen. “I hit the early basket and kind of got on a roll.”

Hoehn’s ninth and 10th points kept the lead at nine before a late basket by M-U’s Natallie Potter ended the scoring in the opening quarter.

Most of Hoehn’s baskets were end-to-end transition scores. “When I get a rebound, I’m always supposed to try and push it,” said Hoehns.

The teams played the second quarter even, and Twin Cedars led 35-28 at the half.

The Eagles started the second quarter with a 3-point play by Mackenzie Clark and cut the lead to four at 22-18. Twin Cedars then ran off seven straight to go up 29-18. Clark helped M-U cut into the lead before the half as she added six more points in the quarter. Hoehns had a quiet second eight minutes with only five points due to foul trouble.

Hugen, Veenstra, and Kelsi Walter picked up the slack.

“We had some other kids step up tonight, probably as much on the defensive end as on offense,” said Twin Cedars coach Justin Nolte.

The Eagles used the press to get back in the game and give themselves a chance to win it. Twin Cedars clung to a 45-43 lead after three.

“We’ve used the trap press a lot and it’s been good for us,” said Moulton-Udell coach Jason Ogden. “We let Hoehns hurt us some tonight score in transition.”

Walter, Veenstra and Hoehns all had baskets that kept the lead at 11. Hoehn’s second basket of the quarter put the lead at 43-32 halfway through the third. The Eagles went on a 9-0 run, and after Alexis Kauzlarich scored, the Twin Cedars’ lead was cut to 43-41. Hoehns again spent part of the quarter on the bench during the Eagle comeback.

“It was a little frustrating tonight” said Hoehns. “They were really contesting my shot in the half court and I got a couple of fouls over the back.”

The teams traded baskets to end the quarter.

Hoehns scored the first five points of the final quarter to put the Sabers back up by seven at 50-43. With the ball back in her hands against the press she would go to the line 14 times in the final eight minutes. Her eight makes closed out her game high 33 points.

Kauzlarich twice hit baskets to pull the visitors within five, the last time at 58-53, but the Eagles couldn’t get closer and the Sabers closed out the win to gain a part of the conference championship.

Nolte talked about playing and winning with foul trouble.

“I think sometimes it gives other players confidence when they have to step up,” he said

Twin Cedars will be back in action next Tuesday when they host Melcher-Dallas.

Twin Cedars 60, Moulton-Udell 54

MU 15 13 15 11 — 54

TC 22 13 10 15 — 60

MU (54) —Stansberry 11, Kadarenna Sales 2, Kassi Guinn 2, Madison Probasco 7, Clark 14, Kauzlarich 12, Potter 6 . Totals 23-69 6-18 54.

3-point goals — 2-9 (Kauzlarich 2). Fouled out —Stansberry . Rebounds — 44 (Clark 12). Assists — 15 (Probasco 9). Steals — 11 (Probasco 3). Blocks — 1 (Sales). Total fouls — 24. Turnovers — 21.

TC (60) —Walter 11, Veenstra 6, Hoehns 33, Hugen 8, Jaspyn Houser 2 . Totals 24-47 12-25 60.

3-point goals — 0-1. Fouled out —Hoehns, Houser . Rebounds — 35 (Hoehns 12). Assists — 18 (Daniela Goemaat 6). Steals — 14 (Walter 4). Blocks — 4 (Houser 2). Total fouls — 20. Turnovers — 20.