Schools
Strong Second Half Keys Westminster Win Over MICDS
The Wildcats come back from a halftime deficit to defeat the Rams 50-42 in the Coaches Vs. Cancer Shootout at Scottrade Center.
The MICDS girls basketball team left the floor at halftime Thursday morning with a lot of momentum and a lead after a fastbreak basket by Natalie Singer, a block on defense and a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Cameron Jackson.
All those things happened in the final seconds of the half and the Rams had a 25-21 lead over Westminster Christian.
But the momentum would not carry over to the second half as the Rams were held to just four points in the third quarter. The Wildcats would go on to win 50-42 at the Coaches Vs. Cancer High School Shootout at the Scottrade Center.
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"We loved played in this kind of environment and for this cause," MICDS' Campbell Torchin said. "We went into the half with a great feeling but we kept telling ourselves that we needed to play that way for another 16 minutes. We missed some good opportunities and you can't do that against a team like Westminster."
MICDS got off to a quick start, leading by as many as eight points in the first quarter. That was in sharp contrast to the team's game on Dec. 30 when Westminster led 14-3 after the first quarter en route to a 48-35 victory.
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The lead would change several times in the second quarter before the late spurt by the Rams.
The Wildcats scored the first eight points of the third quarter. MICDS would not score until Jackson's field goal with 3:40 left in the quarter.
A putback at the buzzer by Lexi Grasse gave Westminster a 34-29 advantage going into the fourth quarter.
MICDS stayed close, hitting three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. Torchin hit a pair and Maya Howard hit one with 32 seconds left to pull the Rams within four points at 46-42. But Kayla Armstrong and Sadie Stipanovich each hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds to cement the win.
"This is a great event for a great cause," MICDS coach Scott Small said. "It is nice to get the whole school involved. Our number one goal was to come and compete and we did that for the most part. But you need to play 32 minutes against a good team like Westminster and we had a blip there and you saw the results."
Stipanovich had 14 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots to pace the Wildcats, who improved to 16-3.
Torchin paced the Rams with 12 points, eight of them coming in the fourth quarter.
The Rams fell to 13-4. Two of the four losses have come against Westminster, which is in the same district as MICDS.