Out of Reach|Wildcats can’t hold late lead against undefeated Hickman Mills

By Jake Singleton
The Journal Staff

Blue Spring junior Jocelyn Price didn’t think she’d shed a tear over Wednesday’s 58-52 Class 5 Sectional loss to undefeated Hickman Mills at Municipal Auditorium.
But she was wrong.
“I didn’t think I was going to cry because it was only my junior year,” Price said. “But once I got in the locker room I started cry.”
And Price wasn’t the only wet-eyed Wildcat. Tears ran down the faces of all, and rightfully so, as the No. 2 state-ranked Wildcats fought the No. 1-ranked Cougars to the very end.
“I thought we were going to come out and at least win by five,” said Wildcat junior Drew Roberts. “I thought we came in ready this time.”
It was the Cougars, however, who came out aggressive.
Hickman senior Jaleshia Robertson hit a three to open the game, and the Cougars controlled the offensive and defensive glass as they opened up a 9-2 lead.
“It wasn’t very good,” said Wildcat head coach Tony Armstrong. “Robertson making the three was one of the things we didn’t want, and we left her open two or three times. And they are really good on the offensive boards. You know they can shoot it well — the things that underrated about them is their ability to rebound.”
Robertson scored 12 of her 18 points in the first quarter, and the Cougars grabbed five offensive rebounds as they took a 19-11 lead into the second quarter.
And while they trailed after the first, a late offensive surge by Robertson, junior Bryonna Snow and freshman Cee Cee Burius gave the Wildcats confidence.
“We figured we’d come out slower than they would because we were still a little intimidated,” Price said. “We called time out and gathered ourselves and, after the time out, I figured, ‘Why are we scared of them? We watched film. We played them once. There’s nothing to be intimidated about.’”
Price and the Wildcats showed no fear in the second quarter.
Price hit two three’s, senior Megan Best had a three and freshman Jamesia Price hit a three at the buzzer to pull Blue Springs within three at halftime, 33-30.
Not only did the Wildcats carry the momentum into the second half, but the presence of Snow and Burius underneath had slowed the Cougars on the offensive and defensive glass while Roberts looked to lock down Robertson.
“We hadn’t played (Snow and Burris) a whole lot together, but tonight, because of (Hickman’s) size, we needed the height inside to defend and rebound,” Armstrong said. “And we finally got guarding Robertson down.”
Hickman scored only eight points in the third quarter after posting 19 first-quarter points and 13 second-quarter points.
Roberts found Snow underneath for four of her seven points and scored five of her 17 points to help give Blue Springs a 42-41 lead going into the fourth quarter.
“I thought once we had the lead we were going to keep it,” Roberts said.
But Blue Springs didn’t keep its lead for long.
The two teams traded leads early and, with 3:30 remaining in the game, were tied 49-49. And after the Cougar’s went on a 6-0 run to open up a 56-49 lead with 21 seconds remaining, it was over for the Wildcats.
“We didn’t make as many plays in the last four minutes as they did — that’s the way these games are supposed to be played,” said Armstrong as the Wildcats ended their season 19-3 overall.
But with only one senior gone from its starting five, the loss to Hickman could have just served as fuel for the Wildcats next season.
“We are ball hungry for it and we are starting our workouts before the rest of the girls,” Price said. “We want to win state our senior year.”
“I think it’s a key wake up call,” Roberts said. “We want state so bad next year — our senior year — we are just going to come out hard and not give anything up.”