By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The unpredictable nature of high school basketball can mess with your emotions.
Notre Dame’s players found that out during the girls state tournament at Rupp Arena this week. After an exhilarating victory in a first-round game on Wednesday, they were holding back tears following a disappointing 44-36 loss to Taylor County in Friday’s quarterfinals.
The Pandas set a state tournament record with 17 3-point goals in their opening round romp, but they were outscored, 15-4, in the fourth quarter of their season-ending loss.
In a somber post-game press conference, Notre Dame coach George Stoll sat beside the four seniors that led the Pandas to their first state tournament appearance since 2013.
“Only one team (in the state tournament) ends the season with a win, and unfortunately it wasn’t us,” Stoll said.
“But you’ve got to win together as a team and lose together as a team as well. We’ve done that through out the year and we’ve all stayed on the same page together. I’m appreciative of all the girls on this team, but especially these seniors.”
There were nine ties and nine lead changes during the low-scoring quarterfinal game. After a stick-back basket by Notre Dame junior center Sarah Young made it 34-34 early in the fourth quarter, Taylor County got back-to-back 3-point goals from senior Kennedy Deener to open up a six-point lead.
A field goal under the basket by Notre Dame senior Joslyn Humphrey cut the margin to 40-36 with 2:17 remaining. But the Pandas did not score on their next five possessions and Deener made four free throws to secure a 44-36 victory.
“Great players make great plays at big times,” Taylor County coach Donnie Swiney said of Deener’s two decisive 3-point goals. “In the first half, we ran that set a couple times … She felt confident with that, so we went back to it out of a timeout and she pulled off that first one (three) and buried the next one, too.”
Notre Dame was 2-for-11 from the field in the fourth quarter and committed turnovers on two of its final five possessions.
“We got a couple good looks that just didn’t fall,” Stoll said. “And credit to Taylor County. They did a good job defensively. I thought that through out the game, and the last four minutes was the best defense they played in the whole game.”
In their first-round game, the Pandas were 17-of-27 from behind the 2-point arc. They were 4-of-22 from long range against Taylor County and committed 17 turnovers.
“They hit 17 (threes) the other day and we didn’t want them to do that again,” said coach Swiney. “We wanted to make them put it on the floor and we wanted to create some turnovers, and we forced them into 17. That was our focus in practice, making them do what they don’t want to do.”
There were five lead changes in the first half. The last switch came on a 3-pointer by Taylor County guard Greta Bradstreet that gave her team a 20-19 halftime lead.
At the break, Notre Dame was shooting 45.5 percent (5 of 11) from the field with 12 points coming in the paint. Taylor County was shooting 33.3 percent (4 of 12) and had a 9-3 scoring advantage from behind the 3-point arc.
The Pandas got nine of their 13 points in the third quarter on threes to take a 32-29 lead, but then came their four-point fourth quarter.
Deener took game-high scoring honors with 19 points. Notre Dame’s leading scorer was senior forward Emma Holtzapfel with 13 points. Young provided eight points, 13 rebounds five blocks and three assists for the Pandas.
Holtzapfel, who was named to the state all-tournament team, said winning the 9th Region for the first time since 2013 was the Pandas’ biggest goal this season.
They accomplished that along with winning a state tournament game against Pikeville behind their record-setting 3-point shooting.
“So we really don’t have anything to be ashamed of or to be sad about,” Holtzapfel said. “We did more than what we planned on accomplishing this year, so I’m really proud of everybody on this team.”
Three of Notre Dame’s starting players will be returning next season. Stoll hopes they’ll provide the same leadership as the departing seniors did.
“I’m just extremely proud of my basketball team and extremely proud of these seniors,” Stoll said. “This is my first year coaching out here at Notre Dame and they’ve been nothing but supportive and embracing me as their coach all through this. It’s been a fun season.”
NOTRE DAME 11 8 13 4 — 36
TAYLOR COUNTY 9 11 9 15 — 44
NOTRE DAME (25-8): Stallard 1 0 3, Young 4 0 8, Holtzapfel 5 0 13, Humphrey 3 0 6, Wagner 2 2 6. Totals: 15 2 36.
TAYLOR COUNTY (29-6): Bradstreet 2 0 6, Raikes 6 1 14, Deener 6 4 19, Vernon 2 0 5. Totals: 16 5 44.
Three-pointers: ND — Holtzapfel 3, Stallard. TC — Deener 3, Badstreet 2, Vernon, Raikes.
Assist leaders: ND — McGraw 5, Young 3. TC — Benningfield 4.
Rebound leaders: ND — Young 10, Holtzapfel 7. TC — Deener 5, Vaughn 5.