Whiteland succumbs to Martinsville in overtime

MARTINSVILLE

The home crowd erupted as the final seconds ticked off the clock in Friday night’s Class 4A girls basketball sectional semifinal — largely because it was thrilled that its team was still alive.

Whiteland threw everything it had at heavily favored Martinsville and nearly pulled off a major upset on Friday night, but the Artesians were able to extend the game to an overtime period and escape with a 49-42 triumph.

The Warriors, who battled back from as many as 13 down, finish the season with an 11-14 record. The Artesians will play Franklin Central for the sectional title tonight.

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“You can’t ask for anything better in girls basketball,” Whiteland coach Kyle Shipp said. “That’s what sectional Indiana basketball is all about.”

Kayana Traylor — who paced all scorers with 27 points — scored off the opening tip of overtime, giving the Artesians (20-4) the only points they would need the rest of the way. The Warriors did not score during the extra four minutes.

Merideth Deckard got Martinsville on track early on in the game with a deep 3-pointer midway through the opening quarter, and she hit another long ball with 41 seconds left in the period, capping a 17-2 run that put the hosts up by 11.

Traylor opened the second quarter with a pair of driving layups to get Martinsville a 21-8 lead, but neither offense had much going for the rest of the half. The Artesians went 4:52 without scoring, but the Warriors – who went the entire second quarter without making a shot from the field – were unable to take advantage and went into the locker room trailing, 24-12.

The Warriors kept that defensive intensity going after the break, however, and it paid off handsomely.

Sidney Crowe scored on a drive a minute into the third and fed Blazek for a layup on the ensuing possession, jump-starting a quick burst of nine straight points that got the Warriors within three, 24-21, with 5:10 left in the third. Martinsville’s drought continued, and two more buckets from Blazek briefly gave Whiteland a 25-24 edge at the 1:18 mark.

“We didn’t want to be done,” said Blazek, who finished the night with 20 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots.

“I thought our starters did a great job digging in in the second half and getting stop after stop,” Shipp added. “Our energy and effort in the second half was the best it’s been all season.”

Traylor, though, came up with another big play before the third period ended, getting fouled on a corner 3 with 55.5 seconds on the clock. The four-point play left Martinsville back on top, 28-25, entering the fourth quarter.

Whiteland kept battling, taking a 29-28 lead on a Ashley West jumper with 6:48 to go. The lead changed hands a few more times before Blazek converted a three-point play at the 3:50 mark and West nailed a corner 3 a minute later to put the Warriors up four, 39-35.

Martinsville chipped away, outscoring Whiteland 7-1 over the next two minutes to regain the lead before Blazek tied it with 40 seconds left in regulation.

Crowe and West each contributed seven points for the Warriors.