The University girls basketball team’s post-season run came to an end on Saturday, as the Trailblazers ran into a buzzsaw named Linton-Stockton.
The Miners overwhelmed University 70-32 to win the Class 2A south semi-state at Jasper. Top-ranked Linton will play Tipton Friday in the 2A state championship game, the Blue Devils upset No. 10 North Judson 54-36 to win the 2A north regional at Logansport.
The ‘Blazers hung with the Miners early, taking a 3-1 lead with 4:36 left in the first quarter. After Linton made a free throw for the first point of the game, University’s Jordan Patterson scored off a steal, then Kelsey DuBois made a free throw.
The Miners came back to take a 6-3 lead. Payton Seay got UHS within 6-5 by making a putback, but Linton got hot from long range, with Haley Rose making two 3-pointers. Jaylee Hayes had already made a 3 early in the quarter, and her second triple gave L-S a 15-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.
That 3-pointer started a 12-0 run for the Miners, who soon led 24-9. Sierra Hinds stopped the run with her own 3, but Linton continued to roll, leading 35-16 at halftime.
The second half was the same story: The Miners stayed hot on offense, and their defense kept University in check. Linton led 54-24 after three quarters, making a 6-0 run to start the period, then expanding the lead to over 30 points with an 8-0 stretch midway through the quarter. DuBois did her best to keep the Trailblazers in it, scoring six points in the third.
Rose hit her fourth 3-pointer of the game to end the third, and that started a 7-0 run to give Linton a 58-24 lead. The Miners made one more 6-0 run to finish the game.
DuBois had her usual double-double, scoring 14 points and collecting 11 rebounds. Linton-Stockton had five players reach double figures, with Aubrey Burgess and Gentry Warrick both scoring 14 points. Rose and Vanessa Shafford each scored 13 and Hayes finished with 10 points.
University finished its season 12-4, winning the program’s seventh sectional championship and fourth regional title along the way. This season marked the first time the Trailblazers won post-season titles in Class 2A.
UNIVERSITY 70, LINTON-STOCKTON 32
University FG FT TP PF
Kelsey DuBois 6 2-7 14 3
Sierra Hinds 2 0-0 5 1
Kamryn Washington 2 0-1 4 0
Payton Seay 2 1-2 5 3
Jordan Patterson 1 0-0 2 5
Abby Hannon 0 2-4 2 2
Arrion Sherrod 0 0-0 0 0
Reva Allam 0 0-0 0 0
Becky Williams 0 0-0 0 0
Lindsey Blocksom 0 0-0 0 0
Totals 13 5-14 32 14
Score by Quarters
Linton-Stockton 15 20 19 16 – 70
University 9 7 8 8 – 32
University 3-pointers (1) Hinds 1.
University rebounds (23) DuBois 11, Patterson 3, Hannon 3, Hinds 2, Seay 2, Blocksom 1, team 1.