Tuscola girls fall to Neoga in the second game of winter tournament
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By Nolan Morse
Saturday night’s game at the Holiday Hoopla basketball tournament hosted by Monticello would begin slowly for the lady Warriors, scoring only 3 points in the first quarter. Their inability to get anything started on the offensive end coupled with an overly aggressive defense would give Neoga multiple easy buckets, whether they be directly under the hoop or at the free throw line. The first quarter would end with a 14-3 deficit that wouldn’t be overcome for the rest of the game.
Despite playing from behind the entirety of the game the Warriors never lost their hustle. Not every rebound would be theirs, but they were never afraid to get down and dive on the floor when they had to. Players always got back on defense and multiple blocks were piled on creating a very high risk-high reward style of defense. Their hustle and ability to play through the adversity of an unsavory scoreboard kept the game close the entire way and ended the second quarter being down by only 11.
In the third quarter, senior guard Reese Davis took the game over for Tuscola. Reese would face intense pressure bringing the ball up the floor all game but never let it affect her style of play. Dribbling through double teams, finishing through stifling contact, scoring off pick and roll threes, there wasn’t anything Reese couldn’t do. And she wasn’t just the leader on offense; she led getting back on defense every possession, was the vocal leader the whole time on the court, and was always there to support her teammates. Reese didn’t just lead her team in points, she led them with the way she played. The deficit would stay 11 as the Warriors entered the 4th quarter down 41–30.
The fourth quarter was unfortunately the worst one played as the Warriors would be held scoreless until 3 minutes of regulation remained. But despite the scoring drought, their hustle never wavered. Players were still diving for the ball, contesting every shot and playing their hardest until the clock showed triple 0.