It was a tale of two halves at Tinora High School on Tuesday night as the Lady Rams battles the Kalida Ladycats.

Both teams came playing their best ball of the season. Tinora, 11-8, winners of 8 of 10 games, while Kalida, 12-6, came in riding a six game winning streak.

The first five minutes seemed as if both teams were looking for their first win of the season as neither teams scored until 2:50 was remaining in the initial quarter as Kalida’s Ali Kuhlman broke the ice with a right side layup for a 2-0 Ladycats lead. Tinora’s Christina Meyer would convert an old school three point play, and we were off and rolling, finally.

Tinora’s Eowyn Blanchard’s deep three gave Tinora a 7-4 late in the initial quarter. The Ladycats would end the quarter on a 4-0 run to grab a 8-7 lead after one.

The Tinora defense would step up in the second stanza, limiting Kalida to just five points, while the Lady Rams offense pumped in 13 second quarter points for a 20-13 halftime lead.

Blanchard led Tinora at the half with eight points, while Kalida’s Avrie Unverferth dumped in five.

The third quarter saw the Ladycats emerge from the locker-room a completely different team.
Kalida would outscore the Lady Rams 22-10, taking a 35-30 lead through three quarters of play.

Tinora grabbed a 24-13 to stated the quarter on two baskets by Eowyn Blanchar with 6:30 in the quarter, it was all Kalida afterwards.

Olivia Meyer started the avalanche of Ladycats third quarter points with deep three pointer, cutting the lead to 24-16, followed by a Meredith Bockrath three pointer, the Ladycats deficit was just five, 24-17.

Kalida would chip away and eventually take the lead for good on a Addilyn Huber three, Kalida led 33-30 with 55 seconds in the quarter. Huber would cap the quarter with another basket and a 35-30 advantage.

Avrie Unverferth’s three to start the final quarter put the Ladycats ahead 38-30. The Kalida lead went to as many as 9 on a three pint play by Madison Unverferth with 5:45 on the clock.

Tinora would rally in the final minutes, Nova Okuley’s bucket cut the Kalida lead to four, 44-40 at the three minute mark. Blanchard would follow with a three, Tinora trailed just 44-43 with 2:29 remaining.

Kalida and coach Adam Huber would draw up a deep pas on the inbound pass as Addilyn Huber would hit Bockrath on a deep pass, the bucket was good and she nailed the free throw for a 50-43 Ladycats lead with 2:20 remaining.

Tinora’s Tatum Creps would cut the lead to 47-46 with just over one minute remaining. Kalida would hit their free throws down the stretch and pull away from Tinora for a 52-28 win.

Kalida would outscore Tinora 39-28 in the second half.

KALIDA 8-5-22-17 =52
TINORA 7-13-1–18 = 48

Kalida scoring: M Unverferth 6, Huber 11, Siebeneck 0, Nartker 0, Kuhlman 2, A Unverferth 15, Miller 1, Bockrath 14

Tinora scoring; Meyer 6, Spangler 0, Blanchard 20, Creps 10, Coy 0 , Durfery 4, Okuley 8, Bailey 0.

JV – Tinora

Kalida improves to 13-6 and will conclude their regular season Saturday afternoon vs Leipsic.

Tinora falls to 11-9 and will end the season Thursday at home vs Hicksville.