NEttes drop heart-breaker to Stratford

The Sudan Nettes’ varsity basketball team saw their season come to an end on Friday night, as they dropped a nail-biter to the Stratford Lady Elks in Vega, 49-48, in the Class 2A Area round of the Basketball Play-offs.

With the loss, the Nettes finished the season with an overall mark of 23-9 and were 13-1 in district play.

Stevi Lockhart drained a three from the top of the key to get the Nettes going in the opening quarter, but Addie Wells and Shay Clements knocked down back-toback jumpers from the right wing to put the Lady Elks in front, 4-3, with 6:11 to play in the opening quarter. Melo Rodriguez dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Lockhart and Lockhart followed it up with a turnaround jumper from the right wing to extend the Sudan lead to, 7-4.

Edette Herrera picked up a steal in their own end and dropped in the easy lay-up to make the score, 9-4, but Stratford answered, as Mila Thompson knocked down a short jumper from the right wing and followed it up with a put-back on their next possession to cut the lead to, 9-8, with 3:45 to play in the first quarter. With under a minute to play in the quarter, Lockhart drained another three from the top of the key, off of an assist from Herrera, but Addison Bell answered with a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Lockhart. She converted the free throw to trim the lead to, 12-11, as the first quarter came to a close.

Kaydence Hood opened the second frame with a lay-up off of an assist from Wells and on their next possession, Wells was fouled on the floor by Kambry Tolbert, earning a trip to the line. She made one-of-two free throws to put the Lady Elks back in front, 14-12. With 5:37 to play in the half, Gracyn Shultz picked up a steal and took it to the hoop for a fast-break layup to tie the game, 14-14.

However, on the other end, Faith Tims was fouled on the floor, earning a one-in-on opportunity at the line. She converted both free throws to give Stratford a onepossession lead, 16-14. With 3:44 to play in the half, Herrera took a charge on Clements, but the Nettes couldn’t capitalize, as Stratford regained possession and Dezerray Tims knocked down a jumper from the right wing to extend their lead to, 18-14.

Elaine Martinez picked up a steal in their own end and dropped in the easy lay-up, but Lynley Albert answered with a lay-up on the left side off of the assist from Thompson to make the score, 20-16, with just over two minutes to play in the half. Lockhart knocked down a three from the right elbow off of an inbound pass from Martinez and Braelyn Pointer drove the left side of the basket for a lay-up to put the Nettes back in front, 2120.

With under a minute to go in the half, Lockhart knocked down a deep three from the top of the key and Martinez was fouled on the floor by Makenzie Bell, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. She converted both free throws to extend their lead to, 2620, with 29.7 seconds to play in the half. Clements dropped in a lay-up from the left side to close out the first half with the Nettes in front, 26-22.

Herrera dropped in a put-back off a miss by Lockhart to open the second half, but Stratford responded with a jumper from the top of the key by Dezerray Tims to make the score, 28-24. With 3:58 to play in the third, Bell dropped in a lay-up in transition off of a Sudan turnover to make it a onepossession Nettes’ lead, 28-26.

With time winding down in the quarter, Lockhart was fouled on an attempt by Faith Tims; she converted both shots at the line to give the Nettes a four-point lead, 30-26, going into the final quarter of play.

Martinez drove the lane and kicked the ball across the lane to Shultz for a lay-up on the right side, but Wells answered with a three from the right elbow, making the score, 32-29. With 6:46 to play, Martinez banked in a three from the top of the key, but Dezerray Tims quickly answered with a jumper from the right elbow to keep it a two-possession Sudan lead, 35-31.

Addison Bell drove the left side of the basket for a lay-up, but on the other end, Shultz was fouled on a put-back attempt by Addie Wells; she made one-of-two shots at the line, making the score, 3633, with 5:41 to play in the game. Addison Bell hit Thompson on a back-door cut for a lay-up to make it a one-point game, but Lockhart responded quickly with a turnaround jumper in the lane to make the score, 38-35, with 5:01 left to play.

Addison Bell was fouled on an attempt with 3:42 remaining and sank one-of-two shots from the line and on their next possession, Wells went coast-to-coast for a layup, drawing an and-one foul on Pointer. She converted the free throw to put Stratford back in front, 39-38. Stratford took a time out with 3:06 to play, and out of the break, Shultz dropped in a bucket to give Sudan the lead, 40-39.

Addison Bell dropped in a layup, drawing an and-one foul on the play. She converted the free throw to give the Lady Elks a onepossession lead, and on their following possession, Wells knocked down a jumper off of the sideline inbound play to make it a two-possession lead, 44-40, with 28 seconds to play in the game.

With 20.2 seconds remaining, Lockhart was fouled on an attempt by Thompson; she converted both free throws to make it a onepossession game, 44-42. Sudan took a time out and out of the break, Clements was fouled on the floor with 15.8 seconds remaining, sending her to the line for a onein- one opportunity at the line. She missed the free throw and Lockhart was fouled on an attempt by Clements, sending her back to the line. She converted both shots to tie the game and force overtime with the score knotted up, 44-44.

In Overtime, Clements picked up a steal, taking it the other way for a lay-up, but on the other end, Martinez was fouled on the floor by Dezerray Tims, earning a trip to the line. She split the free throws, leaving Stratford in front, 46-45, with 1:29 left to play.

With 1:10 remaining, Wells was fouled on the floor by Pointer and sank both shots on the one-in-one opportunity to put the Lady Elks in front, 48-45. Sudan took a time out with 34.3 seconds to play in overtime, and out of the break, Martinez hit a cutting Shultz for a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Dezerray Tims. She converted the free throw to tie the game, but on the other end, Dezerray Tims was fouled on the floor by Shultz. She made one-of-two free throws to give the Lady Elks a one-point lead, as they took the Area Championship over Sudan, 49-48, in overtime.

Lockhart led the team in scoring with 22 points, to go along with four rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks, while Shultz contributed 10 points, five rebounds and two steals. Martinez tallied eight points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Herrera chipped in four points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Pointer contributed two points, seven rebounds and one steal and Rodriguez added two points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal. Montes contributed one rebound and one assist, while Tolbert finished with two rebounds and three assists.