Third-place games are the hardest to play in state tournament action. The season is coming to an end after a promising advance to the semi-finals, but the dream of a state title has come to an end. It becomes more of a game of attrition and a test of will than a competitive basketball game at times.
The Lady Chiefs had their state title dreams shattered Friday night on the Ford Wyoming Center floor by a very athletic Lingle-Ft Laramie team. The Lady Doggers handled the Lady Chiefs 68-51 to send Wyoming Indian to a 10:30 am Saturday contest with Pine Bluffs. After a lackluster first half, the Lady Chiefs came to life and pulled away for a 48-32 win, earning the third-place trophy in the process.
Friday it was a battle throughout the opening half with Lingle leading 33-27 at intermission.
A Taya Dixey follow shot knotted the game at 31 with 6:29 to play in the third period. Wyoming Indian tied the game again at 33 on a pair of Shye Killsontop free throws but the Lady Chiefs never regained the lead.
Lingle slowly pulled away on the controlled play of point guard Natalie Speckner. She set the offense, moved the defense, and controlled the pace of the game.
Wyoming Indian went cold from the floor, shooting just 24 percent in the final two periods.
Elianna Duran led the Lady Chiefs with 12, Shye Killsontop had 11 and Deja Felter and Taya Dixey each scored 10.
Saturday morning’s game opened at a snail’s pace, with multiple turnovers and missed shots by both teams.
Wyoming Indian scored only 20 points in the opening half, but that was enough to hold a four-point lead at the half.
Wyoming Indian’s vaunted full-court press began to pay second-half dividends, forcing turnovers repeatedly. Pine Bluffs committed 22 turnovers in total on the night and the Lady Chiefs converted those into 20 points.
Head coach Aleta Moss played her girls heavily in the game giving every player at least five minutes of action on the Ford Wyoming Center floor.
Killsontop led the Lady Chiefs with 14 and Dixey added 11.
Wyoming Indian hit nine 3-point shots. Killsontop drained four treys, and Dixey three. Dionne Ferris and Deja Felter each added a single 3-point shot.
WYOMING INDIAN 14 6 18 10 – 48
PINE BLUFFS 8 8 5 11 – 32
Wyoming Indian – Jurnee Headley 1 0-0 2, Deja Felter (1) 0-0 3, Taya Dixey 1 (3) 0-1 11, Elianna Duran 3 1-2 7, Dionne Ferris (1) 2-4 5, Maggie Smith 3 0-0 6, Shye Killsontop (4) 2-2 14. Totals 8 (9) 5-9 48
Pine Bluffs – Makenna Thurin 1-2 1, Avery Gray 2 (2) 1-3 11, Hattie Lerwick 1-2 1, Kadee Bruns 2-2 2, Jessica Hoffman 4 1-2 9, Avery Sweeter 2 4-4 8. Totals 8 (2) 10-15 32
WYOMING INDIAN 15 12 8 16 – 51
LINGLE FT. LARAMIE 9 22 14 23 – 68
Wyoming Indian – Roberta Whiteplume 2 0-0 4, Deja Felter (3) 1-2 10, Taya Dixey (3) 1-2 10, Elianna Duran 5 2-8 12, Dionne Ferris 4-4 4, Shye Killsontop (3) 2-2 11. Totals 7 (9) 10-18 51
Lingle-Ft. Laramie – Jordynn Speckner 7 3-4 17, Skyla Wunder 2 (3) 4-6 17, Charlotte Speckner 1-2 1, Brenly Shipp 3 (1) 5-8 14, Natalie Speckner 4 1-2 9, Holly Leiseth 3 4-7 10. Totals 19 (4) 18-29 68