McGrew scores at buzzer, lifts Pioneer past Wabash

Brooke leads 3 in double figures with 27 as Lady Panthers win 20th

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Girls basketball

Ashlynn Brooke

Pioneer 58, Wabash 57 (Tuesday): Julia McGrew scored on a layup with 1.6 seconds left off a Makenna Strycker assist to lift the Pioneer girls basketball team to a win over Wabash in a Class 2A, Sectional 36 quarterfinal at Lewis Cass Tuesday.

Ashlynn Brooke led three Pioneer players in double figures with 27 points. Paula Collado Fernandez added 14, and Kylie Attinger had 11. McGrew’s game-winning basket were her only two points of the game. She had scored 23 points all season prior to her game-winning basket.

Kierra Wilson hit two free throws with 16.1 seconds left to give Wabash a 57-56 lead.

Brooke was fouled with 11.9 seconds left but missed the front end of a one-and-one. After a scramble for the rebound, Gracie Hopper earned a held ball with 7.4 seconds left near the baseline. The possession arrow pointed to Pioneer.

Brooke inbounded to Attinger, who passed to Strycker, who penetrated into the lane after a pass fake and found McGrew. McGrew entered the game after Collado Fernandez fouled out.

Kaitlynn Honeycutt hit three 3-pointers and scored 26 points for Wabash. Rylee Yoakum added 18, and Wilson had 10.

Wabash closed the first half on a 15-0 run to tie the game at 30 and rallied again from a 10-point deficit in the second half.

Pioneer improved to 20-3. It’s their fourth straight 20-win season. Wabash finished 15-8.

No. 10 Pioneer knocked Wabash out of the sectional for the second straight year and will play Lewis Cass in a semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

In their most recent meeting, Pioneer beat Lewis Cass 40-23 on Dec. 7, 2019, in the Cass County Invitational title game.

North Miami and Winamac will meet in the first semifinal at 6 p.m.

WABASH (57) (15-8)

Mattern 1 0-0 3, Yoakum 4 9-12 18, Honeycutt 9 5-6 26, Wilson 3 3-4 10, Jade Stumbo 0 0-0 0, Layne 0 0-0 0

TEAM: 17 17-22 57

PIONEER (58) (20-3)

Makenna Strycker 1 0-0 2, Ashlynn Brooke 11 2-3 27, Paula Collado Fernandez 7 0-3 14, Gracie Hopper 0 0-0 0, Kylie Attinger 4 3-4 11, Julia McGrew 1 0-0 2, Crystabelle Blickenstaff 1 0-0 2

TEAM: 25 5-10 58

Three-point field goals:

Wabash 6 (Honeycutt 3, Mattern, Wilson, Yoakum),

Pioneer 3 (Brooke 3)

Total fouls: Wabash 13, Pioneer 19

Fouled out: Collado Fernandez (PIO)

Score by quarters

Wabash 8 22 10 17 – 57

Pioneer 24 6 12 16 – 58

Makenna Strycker makes a pass to Julia McGrew at then end of the sectional quarter final game with Wabash. Photo courtesy of DaBudman.com (Bud Dodrill)

Julia McGrew takes a shot at the end of the sectional quarter final with Wabash, the basket was the game winner for the Pioneer Panthers. Photo Courtesy of dabudman.com (Bud Dodrill)

The Pioneer Lady Panthers celebrate after their quarter final victory over Wabash the Panthers won 58-57 to advance to the semi final round where they will face the host Lewis Cass Kings on Friday. Photo courtesy of dabudman.com (Bud Dodrill)