INSTANT OFFENSE … Zoe Uribes knocks down a triple in the first quarter as she provided a five quick points for the Locos off the bench after falling behind early 6-0. VIEW ALL PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
sports@thevillagereporter.com
MONTPELIER (February 24, 2024) – Montpelier guard Kelsie Bumb notched 10 of her team leading 12 points in the second half, including the go-ahead trey with 3:25 remaining, in the Locos 35-31 win.
Montpelier found themselves in an early 6-0 hole after a bucket by Emma Townley and a pair of hoops from Caroline Rohrs, the last coming on a nice back door cut.
The Locos responded with a 7-0 run starting with a Jada Uribes field goal and Zoe Uribes provided a quick five points off the bench with a triple from the left wing and a jumper from the right side to give the Locos their first lead at 7-6.
An exchange of field goals ended the first quarter and Meara McGee hit from the right side for an 11-8 Montpelier lead in the opening minutes of the second.
Antwerp responded with six straight points of their own as Rohrs added two more field goals, one on a third chance offensive rebound, as the Archers went back on top 14-11.
Lyla Mahan and Aleigha Hillard added scores for Montpelier before halftime and Rohrs added another hoop, giving her ten points in the first half, and Antwerp a 16-15 lead at the break.
Neither team cracked the scoreboard until three minutes passed in the third quarter when Kelsie Bumb came up with a steal and breakaway layup to put Montpelier in front 17-16.
After trading the lead a couple times, Antwerp senior Aewyn McMichael knocked down a step back jumper to give the Archers a 20-19 lead.
A Bumb triple gave the Locos a 22-20 lead, but Rohrs would fight through traffic for a score just before the buzzer to deadlock the score at 22 heading to the fourth.
A 5-0 run by the Archers opened the final frame, all by Rohrs, as she scored on a drive and then added a three-point play following a Loco turnover for a 27-22 advantage.
Montpelier then began a 13-4 run to end the game as Jada Uribes buried a triple from the right wing and Hillard went 2/2 at the line to tie the score 27-27 with 4:33 to go.
McMichael would muscle up a bucket inside to give Antwerp the lead back briefly before Bumb splashed a three from the right wing at the 3:25 mark to make it 30-29, Montpelier.
Hillard went 1/2 on two trips to the charity stripe and Jada Uribes also was 1/2 to push the lead to 33-29 with 53.4 left in the game.
McMichael kept Antwerp in the hunt with a runner in the lane followed by Bumb going 1/2 at the free throw line to give the Archers a chance to tie with eight seconds to go.
After an Antwerp timeout, McMichael would get a look at a triple from the right wing, but it was off the mark as Antwerp finished the game 0/11 from behind the arc.
The Locos were able to close out the win despite hitting just two field goals in the final frame, both triples, thanks to a 7/12 effort at the free throw line, after going 0/3 through the first three quarters.
Rohrs lead all scorers with 17 points for Antwerp (12-12) and McMichael had 10.
No. 3 seed Montpelier (17-6) will take on No. 2 seed Ayersville (23-1) in the Division IV district semifinals at Defiance High School on February 29 with tip-off scheduled for 7:30pm.
Ayersville won the regular season meeting between the two schools back on January 20, 37-24.
ANTWERP (31) – Rohrs 17; Clem 0; McMichael 10; Townley 2; Peters 2; Bagley 0; Totals: 15-1 – 31
MONTPELIER (35) – Bumb 12; Hillard 8; Z. Uribes 5; Mahan 2; McGee 2; Hopper 0; J. Uribes 6; Totals: 8-4-7 – 35
ANTWERP 8 8 6 9 – 31
MONTPELIER 9 6 7 13 – 35
GAME STATISTICS
ANTWERP: FG – 15/43 (34%); FT – 1/2 (50%); Rebounds – 16 (3 offensive); Turnovers – 10; MONTPELIER: FG – 12/40 (30%); FT – 7/15 (46%); Rebounds – 31 (10 offensive); Turnovers – 13