Phillipsburg downs CHS girls, 55-46

An offensive lull to start the second quarter proved to be the difference in the Concordia Panthers' 55-46 loss to Phillipsburg Tuesday night in the Concordia Junior-Senior High School gymnasium.
Trailing Phillipsburg just 14-12 through one quarter of play, Concordia would go the first six minutes of the second period without scoring.
Phillipsburg tossed in 12 points during that stretch to open up a 26-12 advantage.
Concordia outscored Phillipsburg by five points the rest of the way, but was unable to get closer than nine points in suffering a four consecutive loss to fall to 3-15 on the season.
“We just have a hard time putting the ball in the hoop some times,” Concordia coach Michael Wahlmeier said, “We just have to find a way of adjusting and getting it done.”
Concordia fell behind 8-2 to start the game.
Sophomore Chloe Conway scored six points during an 10-4 Concordia spurt that tied the game at 12-12.
Conway scored 10 of her 12 points in the first half.
A baseline jumper by Ava Schemper put Phillipsburg on top to stay, 14-12.
Phillipsburg would score 12 unanswered points over the final 5:45 of the second period to extend the lead to 26-12.
“We weren't staying with anybody,” Wahlmeier said, “I think we let the frustration of not scoring contribute to the poor execution on the defensive end.”
A three-point basket by Kendall Reynolds with 1:59 to play in the first half ended Concordia's scoring drought and made it a 26-15 game.
Phillipsburg was up 30-17 when Reynolds hit from 10 feet in the final seconds of the half, and Concordia trailed 30-19.
Concordia scored on its first two possessions of the second half, but Phillipsburg answered each basket with a three-point shot.
“They did seem to come at bad moments for us,” Wahlmeier said of the six threes Phillispburg made.
Concorda, trailing 38-25, got a basket by Karlee Wahlmeier and a layup by Katlynn Miller to close the gap to nine points, 38-29 late in the third quarter.
Miller led Concordia with 13 points and three steals.
Ashley Babcock scored inside, and Phillipsburg was on top 40-29 heading in the final eight minutes of play.
Phillipsburg scored five points in the first 1:14 of the fourth quarter to open up a 45-29 lead.
Concordia would get no closer than the final margin of nine points.
“We just didn't ever have a stretch where we put it all together,” Wahlmeier said, “There were some minutes there when we were running the floor we got some easy baskets and some when we played hard on the defensive end of the floor.”
Terin Rundus scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Concordia.
Kristen Wells led the way for Phillipsburg with 16 points. Alexi Beach added 11 points.
Concordia hosts Wamego in a North Central Kansas League game on Friday, and then finishes up the regular season at home against Clay Center next Tuesday.

PHILLIPSBURG (55)
Solida 1-3-1 5, Beach 4-0-1 11, Jaco 3-2-2 8, Wood 0-0-1 0, Wells 6-1-2 16, Schemper 1-0-0 2, Russell 0-0-1 0, Schneider 4-1-2 9, Babcock 2-0-2 4. Totals: 21-7-12 55.
CONCORDIA (46)
Bechard 0-0-1 0, E. Wahlmeier 1-0-1 2, Conway 5-2-2 12, Reynolds 3-0-2 7, K. Wahlmeier 2-0-2 4, Rundus 4-0-1 8, Miller 4-4-4 13. Total: 19-6-13 46.