The Lady Cougars scored most of their points at the free throw line and managed to build a four-point lead with two minutes to go, but Moorefield executed a two-minute drill knocking down a pair of perimeter shots en route to dancing away with the Hardy Girls Hardwood Classic 41-36 victory on Friday in the Hive.
“We hit some big shots, but everybody contributed to that win. Lindsey [Rinker] hit a big shot and Emma [Baker] comes grabs a rebound and puts it back, then we have Madison [McGregor] with a nice feed from the top,” Moorefield Coach Paul Keplinger remarked.
“Everybody helped and gave us good minutes off the bench when we had foul trouble which really hurt us. They got 20 points off of foul shots, so we have to correct that problem. G [Gianna Fair] hit some big shots and she is big inside for us. Rebounding, we had some good box outs and people came off the bench and played sound defense. We had fouls, but they realized they have to give minutes. The girls were up for this one, but we had a tough one last night at Southern. It is tough to come back with our legs underneath us, but that is what we need to do to get where we want to be in the postseason.”
East Hardy’s Julia Hahn netted two foul shots with 2:06 remaining for a 36-32 advantage, adding to the team total of 20-of-32 free throws on the game.
On the next possession, Lindsey Rinker nailed a 3-pointer for the Yellow Jackettes and the bench and crowd cheered enthusiastically as the deficit was sliced to one point at 1:53.
The Yellow Jackettes applied pressure, then East Hardy stalled the clock trying to burn time off and Rinker alertly stepped up the defense to force a five second violation.
Moorefield’s Emma Baker struck a 3-pointer for a 38-36 lead with 33 seconds left and the Hive exploded with cheers.
East Hardy’s Lexi Strawderman tried to squeeze through a trap and was fouled by Moorefield’s Nautica Crosco sending her to the charity stripe and neither attempt fell through and Anna Riggleman snatched the rebound for the Yellow Jackettes.
Strawderman fouled Rinker with 21 seconds remaining and both shots were added for a 40-36 edge.
Hahn put up a 3-pointer and it was off the mark with Moorefield retaining possession on a rebound by Crosco and Hahn quickly made a foul with nine seconds on the clock.
Crosco netted one of two free throws for a five point advantage, then East Hardy’s Leanna Basye grabbed the rebound and Hahn launched a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer just off the rim for a final in favor of Moorefield 41-36 for the regular season sweep.
“The defensive strategy was the same as the last time, but this time they executed it and didn’t fall apart. They played well and played good defense,” East Hardy Coach Bridget Billmeyer commented.
“We have been playing good defense for a majority of the year. We missed some shots down the stretch and there were some free throws that should have fallen, but I’m sorry you can’t play eight people on the floor. The refs cost us a ton of points tonight and I don’t usually try to blame too much on the refs, but the refs on both ends cost us points. Kudos to Lindsey [Rinker], we held her the whole night and she hit the clutch shot when it was needed and that’s what a good ball player does.”
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In a game won in the defensive trenches, the scoreboard wasn’t lighting up as frequently and it remained even keel for most of the contest.
The Yellow Jackettes secured the opening tip and the first attempt was off the rim with Riggleman going for a putback only the rim costing another point with Strawderman finding the next carom.
Riggleman grabbed a defensive rebound, but East Hardy’s Brooke Miller stole it and was called for a walk.
Riggleman walked and Hahn assisted Emma Baker for a basket in the paint creating a 2-nil lead for the Lady Cougars at 6:42.
An errant shot and a leaping save attempt by Moorefield’s Emma Baker didn’t come to fruition.
Strawderman broke the press moments before being whistled for a double dribble.
Riggleman was fouled during a rebound, then East Hardy’s Emma Baker notched a rebound and the ball was lost out of bounds.
Moorefield’s Madison McGregor drilled a 3-pointer at 5:07 for a 3-2 lead change.
An offensive foul was called on East Hardy, then the Yellow Jackettes walked.
Baker and Riggleman deflected passes before Gianna Fair blocked and stole the ball, but Moorefield came up empty despite a rebound by Riggleman with the ball thrown away.
After a pass deflection, the Lady Cougars lost the ball and Hahn collected a defensive rebound.
McGregor knocked the ball loose and Miller recovered it, but Rinker swiped it away leading to two missed free throws by Riggleman.
Basye made the rebound, then Miller snatched an offensive board and was blocked by Moorefield’s Gianna Fair.
Rinker hauled in the next rebound and scored on a layup for a 5-2 edge at 2:17.
Crosco deflected a pass out of bounds, then Miller hit a jumper in the paint as East Hardy cut the deficit to 5-4 with 2:01 left in the first period.
There were a combined five missed opportunities over next minute and change including two errant free throws by Miller.
After a a jump ball, Moorefield extended the lead to 8-4 on a 3-pointer by McGregor with 13 seconds on the clock.
Rinker went in for a steal and a jump ball was forced by Hahn.
Baker and Ciara Smith deflected passes out of bounds before the Lady Cougars missed a buzzer shot.
Riggleman committed a foul to start the second period, Rinker deflected a pass and Riggleman dove for it with Miller stepping in for a jump ball.
East Hardy’s Emma Baker and Lexi Strawderman made a trap, but Moorefield’s Emma Baker escaped and moments later the ball was lost out of bounds.
After a jump ball given to the Lady Cougars, Moorefield got the ball back with a ricochet off of Baker to Fair.
Fair scored off an assist from Baker for a 10-4 lead at the 6:34 mark.
Riggleman stole the ball, but the ensuing shot drew iron and Basye snatched the board.
A pass went under the legs of Baker as the Lady Cougars lost the ball out of bounds, then Hahn collected a defensive rebound.
Hahn drew a foul and made one free throw and Fair grabbed the rebound.
After a foul on Crosco, East Hardy missed twice with rebounds going to Baker and Fair before Hahn stole the ball back and was blocked and fouled by Fair.
Hahn hit both free throws to make it 10-7 at 4:49.
Strawderman leapt in the air to swat the ball and came away with the turnover for the Lady Cougars, but Riggleman swiped it back and was fouled by Miller.
Riggleman scored on a putback during the following series.
Riggleman fouled Miller, who scored the jumper in the process and didn’t make the extra shot.
Rinker grabbed the rebound and the ensuing basket was off the mark, then East Hardy’s Emma Baker collected the carom.
Miller slipped past Riggleman and scored in the paint to make it 12-11 with 3:11 left in the first half.
Miller and Baker hauled in rebounds for East Hardy, then Miller was fouled and missed two free throws.
Moorefield’s Baker came away with the rebound and Strawderman deflected the pass out of bounds.
Miller made another defensive rebound and was Hahn was fouled by McGregor leading to a pair of foul shots giving the Lady Cougars a 13-12 edge at 2:11.
Miller stole the ball and passed to Hahn, who went up for a layup and collided with Baker with both falling hard to the floor without a foul called.
Fair blocked a shot attempt, then made a defensive rebound.
A trap by the Lady Cougars led to a foul by Basye to the disbelief of some vocal fans.
Strawderman swiped the ball, but Crosco snatched it back and was fouled by Strawderman.
Baker delivered a 3-pointer for the Yellow Jackettes with 1:07 left in the second period for a 15-13 edge.
The score was evened on the next trip by Basye on a pair of free throws.
Fair dished to Gracie O’Neill for a jumper to regain the Moorefield edge.
Basye was fouled at mid-court and added one free throw, then Miller snatched the rebound and completed an old-fashioned three point play to put East Hardy up 19-17 with 21 seconds to go.
Hahn stole the ball, but missed the last second attempt keeping the score at 19-17 at halftime.
Moorefield missed three shots in the opening minute of the third period, but did get a block and steal from Fair.
Hahn made a steal and passed to Strawderman, who hit both free throws to extend the lead to 21-17 at 6:54.
Crosco netted a jumper for the Yellow Jackettes on the following possession.
Both teams missed two shots over the next two minutes and there were two ump balls and two fouls called on Moorefield, then what looked like a field goal and trip to the line by Hahn was negated on a walk.
Fair knotted the game with a basket in the paint and drew a foul, but missed the gift and Miller grabbed the rebound.
A pass over to Basye around mid-court was determined to be a back court violation.
After a jump ball, Basye lost the ball during a trap by Rinker and Baker as the ball fell out of her hands while holding it behind her head, then Miller recovered it and was fouled by Crosco.
Miller assisted Hahn on a jumper to give the Lady Cougars a 23-21 lead at 3:44.
It took over a minute and change before the next score would occur as Fair netted a jumper to tie the contest.
Rinker and Miller made rebounds, then a foul was called on Moorefield’s Remington Hinkle.
Basye and Rinker went chasing after a loose ball with the possession being awarded to East Hardy as they collided for it out of bounds.
After a foul by Moorefield’s Regan Davy, Baker stole the ball and the ball was thrown out by Hinkle during a trap.
Davy fouled Miller and one free throw was added for a 24-23 lead for the Lady Cougars with 49 seconds left in the frame, then Hinkle collected the rebound.
Miller snatched a defensive rebound as Davy fouled again and one more free throw was made.
O’Neill made the rebound and as fouled.
Moorefield’s Emma Baker scored a game-tying putback at 25-all with nine seconds on the clock, then Hahn’s long distance shot was partially blocked by Rinker.
The Yellow Jackettes forced a turnover with a trap by Rinker and Baker to begin the final stanza, but the ensuing shot was off the mark and East Hardy’s Baker collected the rebound.
There was a scramble for the ball as O’Neill deflected the ball and Baker collected the ball for Moorefield and Fair made one free throw after a rebound for a 26-25 lead at 6:52.
Basye was fouled by Rinker after collecting a rebound, then added one free throw.
Miller snatched the board and O’Neill stole the ball.
Strawderman, Hinkle and Hahn made defensive rebounds before Baker stole the ball for the Yellow Jackettes and was fouled.
Riggleman hauled in the rebound off the errant free throw attempt and drew a foul leading to a pair of extra shots to put Moorefield up 28-26 with 5:28 remaining.
Miller tied the game 15 seconds later for the Lady Cougars.
After a jump ball and trap by East Hardy, Moorefield called a timeout.
The Yellow Jackettes lost the ball out of bounds, then Hahn drew a foul and sank both charity stripe baskets at 4:40 for a 30-28 edge.
Basye collected a defensive rebound and passed to Miller, who was fouled and added two more free throws to go up 32-28 at 4:10.
Rinker dished to McGregor in the paint for a basket as the Yellow Jackettes made it a one possession contest again.
A ricochet off the rim went out of bounds, then Baker dove for the ball off a Moorefield miss and Hahn joined the mix forcing a jump ball.
The Lady Cougars worked on passing in and out before Strawderman netted a jumper in the paint at 2:43 for a 34-30 edge.
Baker and Hahn shifted on defense in coverage as forcing a turnover out of bounds, but Moorefield got the ball back on a steal by Baker.
Baker reached above Basye as she fell to the floor going for a rebound and scored the putback at 2:11 to make it 34-32.
Hahn was fouled by Baker and made both free throws as East Hardy went up 36-32 with 2:06 remaining.
The Yellow Jackettes rallied with clutch perimeter shooting and free throws down the stretch to win 41-36.
Miller scored a game-high 15 points in the loss for East Hardy, followed by Hahn with 11 points.
Moorefield was led by Baker with 10 points, followed by McGregor with eight points.
The Lady Cougars visit Tucker County on Monday and Harman on Tuesday before finishing the regular season at home against Petersburg on Thursday.
The Yellow Jackettes host Petersburg on Monday and travel to Allegany on Thursday for the season finale.
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