Panthers clip Abilene, advance to sub-state title game

With their season on the line, the Concordia Panthers knocked down the shots and got the defensive shots they needed over the final two and a half minutes to pull out a 57-52 victory over the Abilene Cowgirls in the semifinals of the Class 4A sub-state tournament Wednesday night in the Concordia Junior-Senior High School gymnasium.
Falling behind Abilene 48-45 late in the game, the Panthers used a 12-4 run to rally for the win and advance to the sub-state championship game.
Concordia (9-12) will play the undefeated Clay Center Tigers (20-0) in the sub-state finals on its home floor at 3 p.m. Saturday, with the winner advancing to the 4A state tournament to be played next week.
Clay Center, ranked second in 4A, defeated the Panthers twice during the regular season.
“Our goal is to stay with them (Tigers) for the first three quarters. We have got to get those defensive stops and we need to be able to attack the basket and get our offense going. And if we can keep the game close in the fourth quarter we are just going to let it play out and just play basketball,” Concordia coach Carly Bloomfield said. “If we let them get away, they are too good of a team. You can’t come back.”
After having just lost to Abilene in a makeup game back on February 25,  Concordia was in danger of suffering a second consecutive defeat when Allison Liby made two free throws to give the Cowgirls a 48-45 lead with 2:53 to play.
Kendall Reynolds hit a three-point shot just 28 seconds later to pull the Panthers even at 48-48.
Reynolds pumped in 20 points to lead Concordia, including nine in the crucial final stretch.
A putback by Abi Lillard gave Abilene the lead back at 50-48.
Terin Rundus hit from 15 feet, the Panthers got a defensive stop, and Reynolds drilled another three to make it a 53-50 game with 1:09 to play.
A basket by Lillard pulled Abilene to within a point, 53-52.
Rundus connected on one of two free throws with 43 seconds left, and Concordia led 54-52.
Abilene got the ball inside to Lillard with a chance to tie things up, but Rundus blocked her shot.
Rundus again went one of two from the line to give the Panthers a 55-52 cushion.
The Cowgirls had a chance to close the gap, but Reagen Ditto missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity.
Two free throws by Reynolds with 6.7 seconds on the clock sealed the win for Concordia at 57-52.
“I felt like we had great senior leadership and the girls were confident throughout the game, and they never wavered throughout the game,” Bloomfield said. “I felt like we showed tremendous growth as a team in terms of playing until the game is over and not giving up when things didn’t go our way or they got ahead. They just kept battling and refused to give up.”
Rundus joined Reynolds in double figures with 15 points.
Zoe Bechard tossed in eight points.
Carlie Carlgren and Chloe Conway chipped in seven points each.
Lillard led the way for Abilene (5-14) with 23 points. Jenna Hays scored 11.
Concordia managed just one field goal and one free throw in the first 7:37 of the game and fell behind 12-3.
The Panthers scored the final four points of the first quarter and the first four of the second to pull within a point, 21-22.
A basket by Lillard was the Cowgirls’ only two points in a span of 8:47.
Scoring seven straight points, the Panthers went on top 18-14.
Abilene scored the last four points of the first half to tie the game at 18-18.
Bechard and Reynolds both hit threes as Concordia opened the second half with a 12-2 spurt to go up 30-20.
The Panthers would go on to lead by as many as 11 points, 39-28.
Scoring six straight points to close out the third quarter, the Cowgirls got within five points, 39-34.
Concordia was up by as many as eight points early in the final stanza.
It was a 43-36 Panther lead when Hayes hit two threes and scored six points during a 10-0 surge that gave Abilene the lead back at 46-43.
The Cowgirls led 50-48 when Concordia made its final charge.
“They played with heart and they did what needed to be done to secure the win,” Bloomfield said.

ABILENE (52)
Ditto 3-0-2 6, Lillard 9-4-3 23, Hayes 3-2-3 11, Randles 0-1-0 1, Liby 0-2-5 2, Stout 0-0-1 0, Dennefer 20-2 4, Barnes 0-0-1 0, Clemence 2-0-3 5. Totals: 19-9-20 52.
CONCORDIA (57)
Bechard 3-0-4 8, Reynolds 6-5-0 20, Rundus 4-7-0 15, Carlgren 3-1-4 7, Conway 3-1-4 7. Totals: 19-14-12 57.