Taylor Larson
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AE 48 - MCC 42
The MCC Rebels opened the playoffs this past Thursday night with their highest scoring game of the season putting up 80 points in a win against Red Rock Central. The points were going to be much harder to score on Saturday when the Rebels took on the Adrian Ellsworth Dragons in the quarter finals of Sub-Section 3A South playoffs. The Dragons have been one of the best defensive teams in the Red Rock Conference this season and they have been the best free throw shooting team in the area as a team. The Rebels played their best game of the season against the Dragons on Saturday and this would be the closest game in the section in the North or the South.
The first half of this game saw both teams start slowly with the Dragons scoring their first four points in about twenty seconds after a made basket, followed by a Rebel turnover and layup. The Rebels answered back and the score was 7 to 5 Adrian Ellsworth. That is when the Dragons went on an 11-0 run to take the lead 18-5. Katelyn Froderman dominated the play for the Dragons, scoring 12 first half points, using her long reach to score around the Rebels shorter defenders. MCC answered back with a 15 to 2 run, as the Rebels Kelli Miller and Taylor Larson combined for four three point shots in the first half. The Dragons ended the half on a six nothing run to take the halftime lead 27 to 19.
The Rebels played a very physical second half and that forced the Dragons into 16 second half turnovers which helped the Rebels stay in the game but it also put the Dragons at the free throw line. The Rebel defense held the Dragons to just three made field goals in the second half all inside the three point line. MCC, on the other hand, made all four of their free throws. The Rebels tied the game twice at 32-32 and again at 34-34. The Dragons did not make a field goal in the final six minutes of the game, but they made plenty of free throws and that is when the Rebels went cold. The Rebels had opportunities and Ava Deacon and Taylor Larson combined for 17 second half points but the rest of the Rebels scored 6. With the clock going under a minute to play the Dragons iced the game away at the free throw line to win 48 to 42.
It was a strong performance by the Rebels who gave everything they had, but it just wasn’t enough. Taylor Larson scored a game high 13 points for the Rebels while Ava Deacon scored 12. Kelli Miller played in her final game for the Rebels and finished with 8 points while Thea Schneider scored 4. Ava Deacon had 8 steals in the game for MCC on the defensive end. The Dragons Katelyn Forderman was their only player in double figures and she finished with 23 points. Adrian Ellsworth finished the game making 21 free throws, half of MCC’s final point total. The Rebels finished the season with 9 wins at the varsity level. With some young talent developing at the lower levels and five players returning, including the teams leading scorer, the Rebels will have a chance to take another step forward next season but it will take hard work in the offseason. Good basketball players are made in March-November not November-March.
