By Mike McGraw
Executive Director
MONTICELLO – It wasn’t the size of the school that was the difference Dec. 28 in Class 3A No. 6 Evansville Memorial’s 54-44 victory over 1A No. 8 Randolph Southern in the first round of the Twin Lakes Invitational. It was the size in the school, specifically Memorial’s talented post duo of Annie Hackert and Mallory Ladd.
The pair combined for 38 points and an intimidating defensive presence to lead the Tigers to a 54-44 triumph.
Defeating Randolph Southern means stopping star junior Stephanie Lord and all of the havoc she can create. Memorial accomplished half of that task. Lord scored a team-high 19 points, but she was unable to break down the Memorial defense to open up her mates.
Repeatedly, Lord beat the perimeter defenders only to find Hackert and Ladd waiting in the paint. She tried time and again to dump the ball to her post players, but it seldom reached its destination as Ladd and Hackert intercepted countless passes and blocked nearly double-digit shots.
Memorial’s dominance in the post began immediately at the opening whistle. It led the southern visitors to a 22-12 lead at the end of one quarter. The Rebels adjusted well and actually controlled play in the second period, but at half’s end they had nothing to show for their strong play.
Memorial finished the half strongly and expanded the lead at intermission to 12, 38-26.
The second half saw both teams tighten the defensive screws. Memorial outscored Randolph Southern just 7-5 in a rather sloppy third quarter. Nonetheless, the 45-31 lead the Tigers carried into the fourth was more than enough to hold off the determined Rebels.
Ladd led all scorers in the game with 24 points, while Hackert added 14 markers. The triumph sends Memorial into the second round Dec. 30 versus Logansport.
Twin Lakes Tournament
Day 1
Logansport 55, Indianapolis Cathedral 52
3A #6 Evansville Memorial 54, 1A #6 Randolph Southern 44
2A #4 Taylor 61, Lebanon 57
Twin Lakes 48, Western 38
Day 2
Logansport vs. 3A #6 Evansville Memorial, 11 am semifinal
Indianapolis Cathedral vs. 1A #6 Randolph Southern, 11 am consolation
2A #4 Taylor at Twin Lakes, 12:30 pm semifinal
Lebanon vs. Western, 12:30 pm consolation
Loser Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8, 4:30 pm seventh place
Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 8, 6 pm fifth place
Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 7, 6 pm third place
Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7, 8 pm championship
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