Raiders battle back to beat Thunderbirds
11-17-14 • By Kyle Cummings / kcummings@columbustelegram.com
COLUMBUS -- The Raiders were on the verge of losing their second straight game, facing an 11-point hole with five-and-a-half minutes to go.
But three 3-pointers in the next four minutes lifted the Central Community College women's basketball team to an 86-83 win over Cloud County Community College Monday at the Raider Fieldhouse.
"It's never the game plan to go 50 percent (from 3-point range), but I'm happy with it, so I'll take it," Central head coach Mike Kroupa said.
Central played from behind most of the game, unable to keep the Thunderbirds offense silent enough to pull away.
Central cracked into the lead four different times in the first half, but gave up a 9-2 run over a three-minute span to drop into a six-point hole by halftime.
The Raiders broke out of the second half in stride, cutting that six-point hole into a one-point deficit three minutes in.
Each time Central closed in on Cloud County, though, the Thunderbirds would answer with a quick transitional offense that kept Central off balance.
Eventually, those shots wouldn't fall for the Thunderbirds. Luckily for the Raiders, that's when Central heated up behind the arc.
Sophomore Adrianna Beck sank six 3-pointers in the game, including five in the second half to finish with 28 points.
"Adrianna is a big time player," Kroupa said. "She's always been good at offense, but she's made huge strides on the fundamental aspect of basketball -- the rebounding, defense. She's a big-time player. She did a great job this game."
It was a little under two minutes left in the game, though, that Central found its biggest 3-pointer of the game.
Montrese Weller hesitated several feet behind the arc at the top of the key, then threw up a contested 3-pointer.
The shot rattled home, giving the Raiders an 82-79 lead -- a lead they would hold on to.
"That was definitely one of those, 'No! No! No! Yes! Yes! Yes!'" Kroupa said. "The funny thing is we were about to take her out, then I yelled at my assistant, 'No, she's staying.' That was ice in her veins, though. That was a huge play for her."
Central was able to stay one step ahead to keep the 86-83 win to fend off a two-game losing streak.
"The girls really fought hard," Kroupa said. "We really had a good practice yesterday. That loss before really woke us up, I think and helped to continue with the success tonight."
The Raiders travel to play Kirkwood Community College in Norfolk during the Northeast Community College tournament Friday.
Monday at the Raider Fieldhouse
Central (0-0) 33 53 - 86
Cloud County (0-0) 39 44 - 83
* CLOUD COUNTY (field goals-free throws-fouls-points) - Breannah Bretches 3-3-3-3-9; Alyssa Steppe 8-0-0-0-17; Kristina Farber 4-1-2-4-9; Tai Nittler 3-0-0-5-6; Katelyn Thomson 0-0-0-1-0; Taylor Ames 0-2-2-2-2; Luize Skrastina 12-0-0-5-24; Kimi Lindshield 4-0-0-4-8; Macy Davis 2-4-5-1-8. Totals 36-10-12-25-83.
* CENTRAL - Adrianna Beck 7-8-11-3-28; Paige Muhammad 3-0-2-1-8; Lana'e Washington-Carson 4-0-3-1-8; Shananthia Bryant 4-5-6-3-13; McKenna Rossmeier 1-0-0-2-2; Montrese Weller 5-8-8-1-21; LaShonda Brewer 2-2-4-1-6. Totals 26-23-34-12-86.
* 3-point field goals - Cloud County 1 (Steppe), Central 11 (Beck 6, Weller 3, Muhammad 2).