Lady Jets vs. Sidney, IA
Thursday, January 28, 2010

Sterling Lady Jets vs Sidney, Iowa Cowgirls

Thursday, January 28

Thursday evening the Sterling Lady Jets hosted the Cowgirls from Sidney, Iowa.  Sidney entered the game with an 11-5 record and brought their 6’2” junior center Amiee Osborne who averages 23 points per game, 12 rebounds per game and 4 blocks per game.  Why is she that important?  Well, Sterling has no player over 5’8” and have many under 5’5”.  As expected the first few times down the court the cowgirls lobbed the ball in their big center and she converted.  In fact Amiee ended up with seven points in the first quarter and led her team to a 13 – 9 lead.  The second quarter was about defense.  Each team only scored one basket a piece with the lady jets shooting 1/13 from the field and the cowgirls shooting 1/7.  The third quarter both teams made a few adjustments and the scoring went up.  Junior Courtney VanGroningen led her team in the quarter with 6 points and Aura Blackburn matched her effort with 7 points of her own.  The third quarter ended with the cowgirls up 31-23.  To start the fourth quarter the lady jets went on an 8-1 run, led by senior Willow Hunt and her two of her team high three 3-points shots.  The thirty seconds of the game may have been the most exciting.  Sophomore Nicole Wenzl of Sterling was intentionally fouled and stepped to the line and knocked down both free-throws, extending the lady jets lead to 37-34.  Then the cowgirls fouled freshman Jenna Nieveen, she made ½ free-throws to extend the lead to 38-34.  The cowgirls came down the court and ended up hitting a three point shot to cut the lead to 38-37.  Then after a quick foul and two missed free-throws the cowgirls pushed up the court and called timeout with four seconds left on the clock.  Sidney ran an out of bounds play and took a three point shot at the buzzer that rimmed out.  Lady Jets hold for a 38-37 hard fought win.  Coach Cockerill was asked what he thought his team’s chances of stopping Sidney’s center at the beginning of the game and what he thought of the outcome?  He stated, “Stopping Amiee was probably not an option, but we came up with a game plan to double team her and play a triangle zone around her and hope to slow her down a little.  This would allow them to get some open looks at the basket, but Amiee is almost automatic inside of ten feet.  So the girls bought into the idea and they executed so well.  To hold her to nine total points was fantastic.  Even more impressive than that was the fact she only scored 2 points in final three quarter.  Our girls worked extremely hard inside.  It was a great win by the girls and I am proud of their effort and fortitude.”  Jenna Nieveen led the lady jets with 13 points, 2 steals, 4 assists and 8 rebounds. 

Sterling          9    2    12   15   38

Sidney, Iowa 13  5    13    6     37

Sterling:

VanGroningen 8, Nieveen 13, Wenzl 2, Hunt 11, Magill 2, Hestermann 2

Sidney:

Doty 2, Johnson 4, Holt 1, Blackburn 12, Uhlenkamp 9, Osborne 9