Shelbyville Lady Golden Bears Basketball

Sports Monday, January 29, 2001 Last Updated: Wednesday, January 31, 2001 at 11:51 AM Spartans’ defense shuts out SHS girls By BRIAN HARMON Monday, January 29, 2001 at 3:42 PM CONNERSVILLE — If there is such a thing as a “good loss”, then the Shelbyville girls’ basketball team suffered one Saturday in Connersville. Playing against the Class 4A No.9-ranked Spartans, Shelbyville (14-3) trailed for most of the contest and lost, 60-51. But despite the loss, which was the Golden Bears’ third in their last five games, Shelbyville coach John Fair didn’t view the defeat in a negative light. “Today, I think our kids stepped up and we played well,” Fair said. “This game helped us gauge where we are. “To come in here and take a nine-point loss against a 4A school like Connersville ... I’m not happy with any loss, but playing competition like this will help us down the road.” Fair pointed out that just two years ago in Connersville (14-3), his team suffered a 54-point loss (86-32) and last year lost at home by 14 points to the Spartans. In Saturday’s contest, the Golden Bears fell behind early after sinking just three of their first 11 field goal attempts and making only six field goal attempts in the first half, on 25 attempts. The Golden Bears trailed 15-8 at the end of the first period. Shelbyville’s poor shooting was caused partly by the presence of Connersville’s Missy Taylor (6-foot-3) underneath the basket. Taylor scored a game-high 25 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and blocked two shots. The Connersville junior center was also continually fouled by the undersized Shelbyville frontcourt and went to the free throw line a game-high 12 times, where she earned 10 of her points. Taylor and Jenny Cooper combined for 21 first-half points and helped Connersville secure a 31-20 halftime lead. The third quarter saw the Spartans continue to dominate, and they held a 42-30 lead with four minutes remaining in the period. That’s when Sarah Laird, Shelbyville’s leading scorer, took over and almost single-handedly brought the Golden Bears back into the game. Laird hit the first of four consecutive 3-pointers at the end of the third period to bring her squad within eight points, 45-37. The senior guard’s third trey pulled the Golden Bears to within five points and suddenly Connersville had a game on its hands, as they led 47-42 with six minutes left to play. Shelbyville got as close as three points before the Spartans’ perimeter defense refocused its energy and shut down both Laird and Shelbyville point guard Gretchen Haehl. Laird scored 18 of Shelbyville’s 31 second-half points, and only two other players scored for the Golden Bears in the fourth period. Laird finished the game with a team-high 22 points on 6-of-19 shooting. Haehl, Shelbyville’s second leading scorer (10.8 points a game) was shut out in the second-half and finished with just one field goal and five points. Shutting down Haehl was one of the keys to the Spartans’ victory, Connersville coach Larry Miller said. “We knew we couldn’t allow them to stand and shoot the ball, which is their bread and butter,” Miller said. “We wanted to try and pressure Haehl and make them pick up the ball. “We (also) knew they would use the full court press and I was wanting to try and use their over aggressiveness against them.” Shelbyville hosts Franklin Tuesday.