Kroft’s 5 treys, Campbell’s clutch FTs lead Winamac past Argos

Edmonds scores 13 to lead Lady Dragons

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

WINAMAC — Kingsley Kroft hit five 3-pointers and scored a game-high 18 points, and Maggie Smith scored 10 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Winamac girls basketball team to a 40-35 win over visiting Argos Tuesday.

Kaya Campbell added six points off the Winamac bench, including two free throws with 1:12 left to put the Lady Warriors ahead for good at 37-35 with 1:12 left.

Winamac (1-1) closed the game with an 11-2 run after trailing 33-29 earlier in the fourth quarter.

Lizzy Edmonds had 13 points and nine rebounds for Argos (0-3) in the loss. Argos led by as many as six points in the second quarter but committed eight turnovers in the fourth quarter and 22 for the game.

“We’ve got to learn to take care of the ball and just be stronger with the ball,” Argos coach Scott Jennings said. “We got caught going up the sidelines again a couple times. We’ve got to keep the ball in the middle of the floor. But we forced some of our own turnovers, but it’s still a lack of experience and just them playing together yet. I think that will get better.”

After Campbell’s go-ahead free throws, Smith immediately stole the inbounds pass out of Winamac’s full court press. Winamac called timeout with 1:07 left.

“The girls have done that for years with me,” Winamac coach Kole Kroft said of the press. “So they knew what they were doing. They did a good job of not fouling.”

Aubrey Gearhart made one of two free throws with 40.1 seconds left to make it 38-35.

After an Argos turnover on a pass into the post, Ella Gearhart completed the scoring by making a pair of free throws with 13.6 seconds left.

Winamac never led in the first half, but Edmonds, Argos’ junior post player, picked up her third foul with 4:48 left in the third quarter, and Winamac would go on an 8-0 run with Edmonds on the bench.

Kingsley Kroft hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to one, and Campbell knocked down a 19-footer to give Winamac their first lead at 26-25 with 2:11 left in the third quarter.

Kingsley Kroft split a pair of free throws, and Smith swished a 15-footer on an inbounds play to give Winamac a four-point lead.

Argos then responded with an 8-0 run covering the third and fourth quarters. Sydney Shepherd started the run with a steal and breakaway layup. Madi VanDerWeele tied it with two free throws with 10.4 seconds left in the quarter.

Edmonds was reinserted to start the fourth, and VanDerWeele hit her twice with post passes for a pair of buckets that gave Argos a four-point lead.

Kroft then came through. She hit a trey off a double-screen to cut the deficit to one and then buried another 3 to give Winamac a 35-33 lead with 3:34 left.

Sophie Bollenbacher made an 18-footer for Argos to tie the game with 2:01 left.

Argos came in averaging 22 points per game but had more than that in the first half. Edmonds had nine points, VanDerWeele had a pair of buckets, and Shepherd hit a 3-pointer, and when reserve Carleigh Miller canned a 3-pointer, Argos led 23-17 with two minutes left in the half.

They led 23-19 at halftime.

In the JV game, Argos prevailed 33-31 behind Samantha Redinger’s 11 points. Cailey Markley added eight, Amanda Fajardo had five, Samantha Rose had five, and Hannah Hurford and Alesia Sarver had two each.

Rori Blackman led the Winamac JV with 10. Piper Link had seven, Chloe Rausch had five, freshman Maggie Smith had five, and Olivia Link had four.

Winamac 40, Argos 35

ARGOS (35) (0-3)

Emma Dunlap 0 2-2 2, Sydney Shepherd 2 0-0 5, Sophie Bollenbacher 2 0-0 4, Madi VanDerWeele 2 2-2 6, Elizabeth Edmonds 6 1-2 13, Carleigh Miller 1 0-0 3, Isabella Stults 1 0-0 2

TEAM: 14 5-6 35

WINAMAC (40) (1-1)

Kingsley Kroft 5 3-4 18, Aubrey Gearhart 0 3-6 3, Ella Gearhart 0 3-6 3, Alyssa Villanueva 0 0-1 0, Maggie Smith 5 0-0 10, Kaya Campbell 2 2-2 6

TEAM: 12 11-19 40

Three-point field goals:

Argos 2 (Shepherd, Miller),

Winamac 5 (Kroft 5)

Total fouls: Argos 15, Winamac 10

Turnovers: Argos 22, Winamac 13

Score by quarters

Argos 15 8 6 6 — 35