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Panthers ‘finish’ to beat Cardinals for title

Sports

Written by Gene Morris

Wednesday, 17 December 2008 08:00

Members of the Paola High School girls’ basketball team pose with the championship trophy from the Eudora Invitational, which they claimed with a 3-0 start to the season last week. Pictured are, from left, Kayla Offutt, Allison Wood, Taelor Karr, Megan Hayes, Rachel Hanf, Ashlee Johnson, Rachel Schmidt, Courtney Clouse, Courtney Johnson and Taylor Smith. (Photo by Gene Morris)

EUDORA — There were notes written on the chalk board in the locker room at Eudora. One has been a mantra of the Paola High School girls’ basketball team for years — defense wins championships.

Keep turnovers low.

Have patience on offense.

The final word was simple. Finish.

“We finished,” Panther coach Stuart Ross told his players following a 56-44 victory Thursday night against the Cardinals on their home court to win the Eudora Invitational.
Clinging to a four-point lead (37-33) as the game headed to the fourth quarter in the first test of the season for Paola, the Panthers made nine of 12 free throws to preserve the victory and move its record to 3-0.

Playing in the championship game of every tournament was one of the team goals.

Paola kept that one in check the first week and then some, not just getting to the title game, but also defeating a solid Eudora team in a gymnasium that was loud and proud with students.

“There are two things I know for certain,” Ross said. “They are one heck of a basketball team. But, the good thing is, we are better.”

The Panthers also played their game, Ross said.

“It is nice to not only nice to beat a great team, but also to do things right and see it pay off,” he said. “We hit some big shots.”

Paola defeated Bishop Ward 78-40 in the first round of the tournament and scored a 10-point victory, 55-45, against Piper in the semifinals.

Tonganoxie defeated Piper 45-38 for third place. Highland Park scored a 51-49 win against Bishop Ward for fifth place. Welllsvile beat Turner by three points, 44-41, for seventh place.

Rachel Hanf, who scored a game-high 23 points against Eudora in the title game, was a perfect five-for-five at the line in the fourth quarter.

“In the last three minutes, we took it away from them,” Ross said.

Eudora got within 12 points with 2:58 to go, but could not make a run against Paola.

The Panthers created a lot of offense with its defense and quick transition, forcing the Cardinals to run the floor. Taelor Karr came up from behind a Eudora forward and rejected a shot, knocking the ball towards center Megan Hayes.

Hayes quickly fired the ball ahead to Taylor Smith who then found Karr for the layup, making it 54-41 with less than two minutes to play.

Karr, who had a tough night getting shots to fall, made a pair of big shots in the fourth quarter, draining a 3-pointer to go with her layup to finish with 11 points.

She also set the offense, making a great pass to Ashlee Johnson in the post to draw a foul. Johnson then stepped to the line and sank both free throws.

Rachel Schmidt scored six points. Kayla Offutt and Smith each had five points. Other players scoring for Paola were Hayes and Johnson.

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