GICC Comeback Falls Short In Semi-Final

(Lincoln, NE) - The end of a state championship run would come to an end for the GICC Crusader girls basketball team on Friday at Pinnacle Bank Arena as the Sidney Red Raiders would sneak out a 37-35 win. The semi-final matchup would start with an early hole for GICC. Sidney would jump on top after the end of the first quarter 12-2. GICC later would trail 19-5 later in the 2nd quarter. The offense was hard to come by in the first half against the smothering defense by Sidney who would force GICC to turn it over 10 times in the first half. The Crusaders would find themselves down seven at halftime, 19-12. 

In the third quarter, the two teams would go back and forth with the two squads scoring 12 points a piece.  GICC would go to work in the fourth quarter cutting the deficit down to four, 33-29 with 5:50 left in the game. Later with 5:02 remaining Bryndal Moody would hit one free throw to make a three-point game. Sidney hit a three-pointer to make it 35-30, but Avery O'Boyle would stick a three-pointer with 2:14 left in the game making it 35-33. GICC did have two opportunities with a little over a minute left and just under a minute to potentially tie the game but would come up short. With 16 seconds left Carolyn Maser would hit a two-point bucket followed by a GICC foul with only 6 seconds left in the game. A 36-35 game would turn into a 37-35 game with one made free throw by Sidney. The last chance effort for the Crusaders would come up short as Bryndal Moody would try a floater that would fall short. 

Sidney (26-1) advances to the state title game Saturday at 11:00 am. The Red Raiders will take on Lincoln Christian who downed Bridgeport in the first semi-final on Friday 51-32. GICC is now 24-3 on the season and will take on Bridgeport for third place from Lincoln East high school. Tipoff is set for 1:00 pm. Listen live on KRGI 1430/105.5 & krgi.com. 

Sidney  12  7  12  4  - 37

GICC     2  10  12  13 - 35

Red Raider Scoring: Leeling 9 - Denovellis 1 - Black 2 - Dillehay 5 - Westby 3 - Ramsey 9 

Crusader Scoring: O'Boyle 3 - Tibbets 4 - Herbek 9 - Maser 15 - Moody 4