Crown Point vs. Portage

Crown Point 46, Munster 39
   
Click HERE for some great photos from the game.

Not a great game for either team, but it was a battle just the same. Not a lot of help from the officials, who disrupted any type of fluid play.  Neither team was ever able to get in any kind of offensive rhythm due to the starts and stops, which made for an ill-paced and ugly game.

Despite experiencing some early foul trouble, including 5 CP fouls in the first 3:30 of play, CP kept it together for a pretty decent first quarter and a 10-3 lead at the first break. Point Alex Webster only played about 5 1/2 minutes in the first half with three fouls and center Carissa Triplett also sat significant first-half minutes with two. Crown Point's bench did an outstanding job of stepping up, especially Janel Heneghan, who had 5 rebounds and 5 points in the second quarter alone. Seniors Sarah Zondor and Nikki Borys were the scoring keys in the first half, while fellow senior Amanda Bernard held it all together with some tenacious rebounding and good floor looks for a couple of assists. Portage closed the gap in the second quarter with some balanced scoring from 5 different players to head to the locker room down only 5 points on a 23-18 lead by CP.

CP went on an 8-2 run to start the third, extending their lead to 11 midway through, but consecutive buckets by Portage's Nicole Tesseneer, including a trey, pulled the Indians back into the game. Neither team scored for the remaining 3 minutes of the quarter, until CP junior Ashley Plumley buried a trey at the buzzer to give CP back their 11-point lead heading into the fourth.

CP went to a spread offense in the fourth, intending to work down the clock, but that might have worked against them. The 'Dogs failed to convert on several scoring attempts and Portage took advantage. They gradually inched closer with some hard-nosed defense and clutch shots. When CP failed to convert on two consecutive 1-and-1 opportunities, the Indians turned right around and hit some big buckets. With 1:16 to go, the score was 41-36 after a big jumper by Portage sophomore Carly Ristich. The 'Dogs then went to the foul line when Portage attempted to slow the clock with about a minute to go, but CP converted on 3 of 4 attempts to lead by 8 with :39 to go. Portage scored quickly after that with a trey by junior Nicole Dearing, but the ensuing press by Portage failed and Plumley connected on a long pass to wide open Nikki Borys for the last bucket in the game with 10 seconds left. Portage was unable to score on their last possession and in a mad scramble for the rebound under the basket, CP senior Amanda Bernard came up with the ball to prevent any more opportunities by the Indians.

The only player to break into double figures was CP's Zondor with 12.  Janel Heneghan had 5 points and 6 rebounds in limited minutes, while Amanda Bernard put together an all-around game of 5 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
      

Scoring by Quarters:
CP	10	13	13	10	46
Por	3	15	7	14	39

CP - Zondor 12 (5r 3s 2a), Borys 9 (2r), Triplett 6 (3r), Heneghan 5 (6r), Bernard 5 (6r 2a 2s), Webster 4 (2a), Plumley 3 (3r 2a), Harvey 2 (3r)

Portage - Hansen 8, Tesseneer 9, Korbar 9, Autrey 4, Austgen 4, Dearing 3, Ristich 2