Gabby Willis
HAGERSTOWN, Ind. – All Hagerstown girls basketball coach Chris Oliger could do was smile on Saturday night after his team won 61-44 over Lincoln to claim a third straight Wayne County Tournament title.
“That’s the team I’ve been waiting to see,” Oliger said during the post-game celebration. “(They were) having fun, relaxed, playing, executing defensively, executing rebounding and executing on the offensive end and taking great shots.”
After holding a 17-13 edge at the end of the first period, the Tigers had their lead cut to 19-17 when Lincoln’s Kerrigan Neff scored at the 5:15 mark of the second frame.
At that point, the momentum switched Hagerstown’s way and the Tigers ended the first half on top 33-19.
“Once we got it going, we got it going,” Oliger said. “It’s fun to watch them play.”
The Tigers eventually led 47-33 at the third stop and they were able to maintain their distance from the Golden Eagles the rest of the way.
“I thought we got thrown around pretty much the whole game,” Lincoln Head Coach Rob Bills said. “We got to be tougher than that.”
“We’re not going to stop battling,” Bills added. “My kids have played hard every game we’ve played. They learned what the TEC (Tri-Eastern Conference) and county tourney is about. We’ve got a lot of work to do and we will get it done.”
Kerrigan Neff
Gabby Willis led the Tigers with 18 points, Savannah Houck added 16 with nine rebounds.
Brytni Dale ended with 10 points as the Tigers had three in double digits.
Neff led Lincoln with 13 points, while Laynie Russell tossed in a dozen. Kylei Klein finished with nine points and 11 rebounds.
The two teams will play a TEC contest in Cambridge City on Thursday, Jan. 14.
“They’re playing good basketball,” Oliger said of the Golden Eagles. “And we get to do this all over in less than a week.”
Box Score
HAGERSTOWN (12-6) – Gabby Willis 7 1-2 18, Hannah Rogers 1 0-4 2, Taylor Kelley 4 1-2 9, Brytni Dale 4 2-3 10, Savannah Houck 4 7-11 16, Victoria Pierson 1 0-0 3, Beth Jenkins 1 0-1 2, Hailee Garrison 0 0-0 0, Madison Brown 0 0-0 0, Lacee Dale 0 0-0 0. Team – 22 11-25 61.
LINCOLN (7-9) – Allie Owens 2 0-0 6, Emmie Pugh 2 0-2 4, Kerrigan Neff 5 2-4 13, Kylei Klein 2 5-5 9, Olivia Davis 0 0-0 0, Laynie Russell 4 1-2 12, Hannah Hall 0 0-0 0, Dakota Harrison 0 0-0 0, Rachel Merida 0 0-0 0, Brianna Sparks 0 0-0 0, Jessica Harmer 0 0-0 0, Kami Laymon 0 0-0 0. Team – 15 8-13 44.
Hagerstown 17 33 47 61
Lincoln 13 19 33 44
3-pointers – Hagerstown 5 (Willis 3, Houck 1, Pierson 1), Lincoln 6 (Russell 2, Owens 3, Neff 1). Rebounds – Hagerstown 34 (Houck 9), Lincoln 38 (Klein 11). Turnovers – Hagerstown 7, Lincoln 16. Fouls – Hagerstown 12, Lincoln 16.