Brand New Season for NBC as Lady Leps Stop Dukes
FULL VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
Louisville 50, Marlington 45
Brianna Libertore scored 17 points and pulled down 19 rebounds in leading Louisville to a 50-45 win over previously conference-leading Marlington Tuesday night at LHS. The win puts Louisville, Marlington, and West Branch in a three-way tie for the NBC in the loss column. Molly Brown also added 11 points for the Leps.
Through the first six minutes of the contest Louisville was held to just one field goal. But with 1:40 remaining in the opening period Brown canned a three-ball while also drawing a foul. Her conversion of the rare four-point play jolted the Lady Leps to an 8-0 run to close the period. A Mackenzie Storlie to Libertore connection just before the buzzer sounded gave Louisville a 13-8 lead.
Louisville continued to dominate the boards in the second quarter and out-rebounded Marlington 23-5 overall in the first half. Angela Risaliti contributed 5 of her 9 points in the second quarter by scoring in traffic and netting a triple. Libertore intercepted a shot attempt defensively and again scored in the final seconds this time on a putback. The make gave Libertore a double-double for the first half (11 points, 11 rebounds), and more importantly gave the Leps a double digit lead heading into the locker room.
The Lady Dukes were not eager to give up their lead in the standings and played with a sense of urgency in the third quarter. Marlington scored the first 6 points of the period and cut the deficit to 34-32 heading into the final frame. The Dukes defense hustled to the ball allowing Louisville just seven shots from the field and forcing several turnovers.
The Dukes continued to press their attack in the final quarter, but the Lady Leps refused to give up their lead. Louisville had the lead and that meant they controlled their destiny not only for the game, but for the season.
Katie Reed scored 9 of her game-high 20 points in the final quarter for Marlington. The Dukes got within a single digit twice, but Louisville had an answer for them both times. Answer number one was a clutch three by Brown and answer number two was a drive to the hole by Risaliti. Then the dagger was provided from Storlie who banked home a runner and also drew a foul. 46-41 Louisville.
The Leopards did not exactly put the Dukes away thanks to poor foul shooting. However, twice Louisville crashed the offensive glass to retain possession off misses from the charity line. Louisville out-rebounded Marlington 39-20 for the game a theme that continued in the late stages of the fourth.
The icing was put on the blue and white cake when Storlie rejected Ronn’yeil Hogan from behind on her way to the hoop. She then grabbed the loose ball, took precious seconds off the clock, and after a few passes was fouled.
Marlington brought the deficit down to one possession during the final seconds, but Libertore buried home two clutch free throws on the opposite end to cap off her amazing performance. The rambunctious Leopard student section cheered with joy as the Lady Leopards celebrated a 50-45 victory.
STATISTICS
DUKES: Reed 5 10-13 20, Chambers 4 0-0 9, Hogan 2 2-4 6, Stuffel 3 0-4 6, Bitzel 2 0-1 4, Mayle 0 0-2 0. TOTALS 16 12-24 45.
TEAM FG: 16-53 30%
TEAM 3PT: 1-17 6% | Chambers (1)
TEAM FT: 12-24 50%
LEOPARDS: Libertore 6 5-9 17, Brown 3 3-3 11, Risaliti 4 0-0 9, Storlie 2 4-10 8, Rice 1 1-2 3, C. Lemmon 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 18 13-24 50.
TEAM FG: 18-39 46%
TEAM 3PT: 3-7 43% | Brown (2), Risaliti (1)
TEAM FT: 13-24 54%
Team 1-2-3-4-Total
Marlington 8-12-12-13–45
Louisville 13-17-4-14–50
Rebounds: Louisville 39-20
Fouls: Marlington 20-17
Records: Louisville 6-1, 4-1; Marlington 8-1, 4-1
NEXT UP: The Lady Leps will travel to Lake to take on the Blue Streaks on Tuesday, January 3. JV will tip at 6:00 and Varsity will follow at approximately 7:30.
PICTURES
JV REPORT
Louisville 55, Marlington 2
Mackenzie Rankin led Louisville with 13 points and had countless steals. If it was not for a Marlington field goal with just under a minute to go in the first half Louisville would have shutout the Dukes for the game. The Leopards built a 28-0 lead before Marlington broke the ice and outscored the Dukes 23-0 in the third period. Louisville ran time off the clock to clinch the win in the final quarter.
Keri Hupp also had 10 points for the Leps, while Rachel Zeller added 9, and Nora Hmeidan scored 8. Louisville offensively drilled home 4 three-pointers, 2 from the hands of Hupp and 1 each from Rankin and Morgan Paulus.
JV PICTURES
JV STATISTICS
DUKES: Bitzel 1 0-0 2, Kennedy 0 0-4 0. TOTALS 1 0-4 2.
3PT: None
TEAM FT: 0-4 0%
LEOPARDS: Rankin 6 0-2 13, Hupp 4 0-0 10, Zeller 4 1-2 9, Hmeidan 4 0-0 8, Bartolet 2 0-0 4, Nees 2 0-0 4, Paulus 1 0-0 3, Noble 1 0-0 2, Skolosh 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 25 1-4 55.
3PT (4): Hupp (2), Paulus (1), Rankin (1)
TEAM FT: 1-4 25%
Team 1-2-3-4–Total
Marlington 0-2-0-0–02
Louisville 10-18-23-4–55
Fouls: Louisville 6-4
