Top-seeded Phillipsburg fends off Concordia, 68-53

PHILLIPSBURG — Top-seeded Phillipsburg, led by freshman Taryn Sides, pulled away in the fourth quarter to post a 68-53 victory over the feisty Concordia Panthers in the opening round of the Class 3A sub-state tournament Tuesday night.
Phillipsburg led eighth-seeded Concordia just 52-44 heading into the final period of play.
Sides scored seven of her game-high 27 points as Phillipsburg outscored Concordia 16-9 in the quarter to avoid the upset bid.
“It was nice to see us scoring some points and shooting a good percentage, and fighting. I was proud of that,” Concordia coach Michael Wahlmeier said.
Concordia finishes up its season 2-19.
Phillipsburg (18-3) advances to the sub-state semifinals and will play fourth-seeded Thomas More Prep-Marian (9-12) at 6 p.m. Friday night.
Thomas More Prep downed Russell, 47-43.
Second-seeded Beloit (15-6) edged Minneapolis 51-50 and third-seeded Norton rolled past Hoisington, 58-34.
Those two winners will meet in the other semifinal Friday night.
The championship game is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday with the winner advancing to the Class 3A state tournament in Hutchinson next week.
Phillipsburg, which had not played since a 57-33 victory over Concordia back on February 18, led the Panthers 37-18 when Madison Solida knocked down a three-point shot with under three minutes remaining in the first half.
Concordia came roaring back.
Back to back baskets by Kendall Reynolds and Genna Strait and consecutive threes by Reynolds made it a 37-28 game.
Reynolds, who scored all 15 of her points in the first half, got to the basket and scored with seven seconds remaining to close the gap to 37-30.
“Kendall hit some shots, some big ones. We took some chances, and threw in a few new sets that we drilled about 200 times, I think, on Monday to make sure everybody was comfortable with them. And the girls did a nice job,” Wahlmeier said.
Phillipsburg would stretch the lead to 10 points, 42-32, early in the second half.
A basket by Karlee Wahlmeier and two free throws by Zoe Bechard got Concordia within six points, 42-36, with 4:35 left in the third quarter.
Hitting five of six free throws, Phillipsburg scored seven unanswered points to go up 49-36.
Strait connected on a baseline jumper and then a three to cut the deficit to 49-41. The senior scored a career high nine points in the game.
“That was a lot of fun. Genna was playing like you would expect to see a senior play in her final game. She was leaving it all out there, and all of our seniors did,” Wahlmeier said.
Phillipsburg's Abby Babcock was fouled with 12 seconds to play in the third quarter. She made the first free throw but missed the second.
Babcock was fouled again with five seconds left after Phillipsburg got the offensive rebound, and made both attempts.
Bechard banked in a three-point shot as time expired in the period, and Concordia trailed 52-44.
Phillipsburg got consecutive baskets by Sides and a bucket by Ava Schemper in the opening 1:52 of the fourth quarter to go up 58-44.
“We had a few defensive breakdowns, and they are just a good team,” Wahlmeier said, “To start the fourth quarter it was an eight-point game, and it seemed like the next time I looked up it was up to a 14-point game. Sides is a tough one to stop. I thought Zoe did a great job on her. We needed to help a little sooner on her.”
Concordia was unable to get any closer than 10 points the rest of the way.
Reynolds had six rebounds and six assists to go with her 15 points.
Bechard scored 12 points in the game.
Wahlmeier matched Strait with nine points and grabbed six rebounds.
The Panthers shot 49 percent (21 of 43) from the field and made 6 of 12 three-point attempts.
Sides was the only Phillipsburg player to score in double figures.
Phillipsburg got out to a quick 8-0 lead in the game.
Concordia would pull within six points, 13-7.
A 7-2 spurt put Phillipsburg up 20-9 going into the second quarter.
Phillipsburg built the lead to 37-18 before a 12-0 surge got Concordia within seven points at halftime.
Concordia got as close as six points in the second half, but couldn't keep pace with Phillipsburg.

CONCORDIA (53)
Bechard 4-2-1 12, Acree 1-0-0 2, Wilson 0-0-1 0, Loeffler 0-0-1 0, Reynolds 6-0-2 15, Strait 3-2- 5 9, Wahlmeier 4-2-4 9, Rundus 3-0-3 6. Totals: 21-5-14 53.
PHILLISBURG (68)
Solida 3-1-3 9, Sides 11-4-0 27, Babcock 1-4-0 6, Wells 3-0-1 8, Schemper 1-0-2 2, Storz 0-0-1 0, Schneider 1-6-2 8, Pakkebier 4-0-2 8. Totals: 24-15-11 68.