Tinora 46 Wauseon 44

WAUSEON – When the 2022-’23 season comes to an end, this game may be the determining factor of a very good season by the Tinora Lady Rams.

When they say each win is a team win, nothing can be more true than the Tuesday night game at Wauseon vs the Indians.

The Tinora Lady Rams were looking at déjà vu late in the third quarter, despite Tinora leading most of the game, the Wauseon Indians would not go away.

Last season, in similar fashion, the Lady Rams lost a double-digit lead to the Indians, losing to Wauseon, and seemingly halting a great Lady Rams basketball season.

Wauseon’s Mackenzie Stasa would drain a three pointer to give the Indians an early 3-3 lead, this is the only time the Lady Rams would trail in Tinora’s trilling 46-44 road win over a very talented Indians basketball club.

Despite graduating a big class, including the Crescent-News player of the Year, Marisa Seiler, the Indians still returned a very deep roster, playing nine girls.

After an exciting first quarter that saw Tinora’s Nova Okuley bucket five points, the Lady Rams would take a 15-10 lead into the second quarter. At times Wauseon’s Haley Meyer seemed unstoppable down low, but the combo of Addison Lee, and Maggie Nagel continues to battle Meyer.

In the second stanza, the Lady Rams of Tinora would expand their lead to as many as six, 29-23 with two minutes remaining in the half, an Indians Stasa free thrown would end the half with the Lady Rams leading Wauseon 29-24.

Stasa would lead the Indians at the half in points, with nine.
Both Nova Okuley and Liv Mueller would bucket 10 to lead the Rams at the half.

The Lady Rams would unleash the track team at times in the third quarter, it would seem. Running up and down the floor at will, extending the lead to as many as 11, 35-24 on a Liv Mueller bucket.

After a Tom Seiler timeout, the Indians seemed to respond to the 2021 Crescent-News’s coach of the years message.

The Indians would cut the Lady Rams lead to 37-35 on Madison Strain’s only bucket of the game with 1:18 in the third. Tinora’s Addison Lee would bucket a three pointer, and Nova Okuley a two, to increase the Lady Rams lead to 42-35 after three.

Tinora’s Dakota Schaffner provided Liv Mueller with a much-needed three-minute break at the end of the third, and the start of the fourth.

The exciting third quarter would lead to a better fourth. After Wauseon’s Aizlynn Coronado drained the second of two free throws, cutting the Tinora lead to 42-35 with 7:19 left, neither team would score for the next four minutes of the final quarter.

After a Tinora timeout midway through the quarter, the Lady Rams came out trying to get Wauseon to chase the ball, and kill a bit of the clock as well. Tinora did accomplish taking time off the clock, however, two turnovers in that timespan cut the Lady Rams lead to just two with 1:45 remaining.

Off the first turnover, an offensive rebound by the Indians Marin Leatherman cut the Tinora lead to 42-38 with 2:40 on the clock. After another Rams turnover, Haley Meyer bucketed point 10, cutting the lead to just two, 42-40.

The remaining 60 seconds would be decided at the free throw line, the Indians needed to burn a few seconds to actually get to seven team would to put the Lady Rams at the stripe.

Wauseon would finally get to the seventh foul at the 40 second mark, sending the Lady Rams Karli Okuley to the line. Okuley would miss the first free throw, however Wauseon would be unable to handle the rebound. Tinora would inbound the ball, Wauseaon would instantly foul Okuley again, with 36 seconds on the clock.

Karli would again step to the line with the Lady Rams leading 42-40. This time, Okuley would knock down both free throws, giving Tinora a 44-40 lead.

Wauseon’s Sophia Rupp would launch a three with 22 seconds left, Tinora’s Addison Lee would add to her block total for the night, rejecting the Rupp jumper. Rupp would regain the possession, and Indian head man Seiler would call for a timeout for the Indians.

On the inbounds play, the Indians would again go to Haley Meyer, Meyer would put in her 12 point, cutting the Tinora lead to 44-42 with 12 seconds remaining.

On the ensuing inbounds play, Lady Rams senior Liv Mueller would be fouled. Mueller, who has been in the same situation many a time before, Liv would hit one of two free throws, giving Tinora a 45-42 lead. On the miss, Addison Lee again was in the right spot, grabbing the offensive rebound, it was then knocked out of bounds with 7.2 seconds remaining.

Mueller was again fouled immediately on the inbounds, Liv would again split the pair, however the Lady Rams led 46-42 after the second make.

Wauseon’s Maite Marugan would drive the length of the court and throw in a shot with two seconds remaining, however the Indians were out of timeouts, and the clock would expire.

The Lady Rams would leave Wauseon with one of their better team wins in the past few seasons.

Tinora improves to 5-5 as they head to the Christmas break. The Lady rams next game will be on 12/29 as they travel to Eastwood.

Wauseon falls to 5-4. The Indians will start NWOAL play on 12/23 vs Bryan

The Higbea Embroidery Player of the Game went to Addison Lee. Addison dominated the defensive end for the Rams, blocking 6 shots and grabbing double-digit rebounds, congratulations Addison.