WHITEHOUSE – The Lady Rams took on the #1 seeded Liberty Center Tigers in the District Finals Saturday night and gave them all they could handle and more.

Tinora seemed to catch an early break as Liberty Center’s Eme Gray, the NWOAL Player of the Year, and coming off a career high 40 points in the District Semifinal win over Fairview, pickup up her second foul halfway through the first quarter.

Senior Addison Lee gave Tinora an early 9-6 lead with 22 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Liberty Center’s Eliza Jones would tie the game with a three pointer from the right wing at the buzzer.

The Tinora defense forced five Liberty Center turnovers in the initial eight minutes as the Lady Rams and Tigers battled to a 9-9 tie. Both teams struggled offensively as well through the first quarter.

With Gray on the bench, the Tigers needed to find some scoring, and they did just that as a balanced attack, led by Bea Barret with six first half points.

The tough Tiger defense forced seven Rams turnovers as they went on a 9-0 run to increase their lead to 19-9. Liberty Center took a 23-14 lead to the half. Gray did not score, nor appear in the second quarter with those two early fouls.

Karli Okuley led Tinora at the half with six points, and Barrett led LC with six.

The Tiger lead would grow to as many as 11 before Tinora began to chip away at the Liberty Center lead as the third quarter progressed. Tinora would end the third quarter on a 7-0 run, capped by an Ema Bailey put back bucket at the end of the third, cutting the Tigers lead down to 27-23.

The final eoght minutes saw Liberty Center start with three quick turnovers, Tinora cut the Tigers lead to 29-27 after a Julia Durfey basket with 6;00 on the clock.

The Lady Rams would continue to battle the #8 team in DIV III as Eowwyn Blanchard would hit a left wing three, cutting the gap to just one, 31-30 with 4:09 on the fourth period clock.

Senior Eme Gray would bucket her first points of the game with just under a minute to go on a huge offensive rebound and score, the Gray bucket put the Tigers on top 33-30.

With just one team foul and the Tigers with the ball, Tinora spent the next 14 seconds fouling, looking to send the Tigers to the line. Tinora sent Gray to the line where she split the pair, Liberty Center led 34-30 at the 45-second mark.

After two missed Tinora free throws, the Tigers went back to the line where Gray again split the pair, the Tigers now led 35-30 with just 25 seconds left.

After a Lady Rams foul, Bea Barrett split her free throws, the Tigers led 36-30 with 20 seconds on the clock. On the ensuing possession, Nova Okuley nailed a left wing three to cut the Tigers lead to 36-33 with 6.1 seconds on the clock.

Barrett would nail both free throws for a 38-33 lead. Tinora’s Eowyn Blanchard would hit a runner at the final buzzer to close the gap to a 38-35 final.

TINORA 9-5-9-12=35
Liberty Center 9-14-4-11=38

Tinora scoring: Lee 6, K Okuley 6, Blanchard 6, Durfey 2, N Okuley 11, Bailey 2

Liberty Center scoring: Gray 4, E Mohler 2, Keller 6, Miller 4, Jones 6, Barrett 9, Blanton 4

Tinora sees their season end at 15-10. The Lady Rams finished 5-2 in the GMC.

Liberty Center improves to 23-2 and will play Ottawa Glandorf next Thursday in Elida at 8 pm.

A fantastic season for the Tinora Lady Rams, a great game, hold your heads high, ladies.

Best wishes to the Lady Rams two seniors, Addison Lee and Karli Okuley. You two ladies had a incredible season.

A special thanks to coach Fairchild, Dr. AJ, and Dr. Logan for assisting this season.
And thanks to all the new friends we met throughout this season’s long journey, we appreciate all the positive comments along the way!

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