By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
OAKLEY – The Smith Center Lady Red closed the fourth quarter on a 16-4 run as they defeated the TMP Lady Monarchs 46-33 Thursday night in Oakley, ending TMP’s season in the sub-state semifinals.
Both teams struggled to get their offense going as Smith Center built a 6-4 first quarter lead.
In the second quarter TMP’s Claire Schippers scored a driving layup with six minutes left tying the game at 6.
Her sister Gracyn Schippers added five straight with a three-pointer putting TMP up 11-6. Then on the next TMP possession Claire connected on her first of three three-pointers putting TMP up 14-6.
After leading by eight, they again matched their largest lead of the game when Teagan Gottschalk capped off the 12-2 run putting TMP up 16-8 with a field goal in the paint, with just over two minutes left in the first half.
But it was a lead that TMP could not hang out to.
Smith Center closed out the first half and opened the second on a 13-0 run to take a 21-16 lead with three and a half minutes left in the third quarter.
The Lady Red led by four, at 30-26 at the end of the third quarter.
In the final frame, TMP’s Brooke Koenigsman pulled the Monarchs within one at a three-point play, at 30-29 with 5:45 left in the game but that was a close as TMP would get.
Smith Center outscored TMP 16-4 as the secured a 46-33 victory to advance back to the sub-state championship game.
Claire Schippers led TMP with 13 points. Gracyn Schippers scored all seven of her points in the first half and did not play in the second half because of illness.
TMP finishes the season 11-12. Smith Center is 18-4.