The New Bloomfield girls hadn’t played in 13 days while dealing with illness.
Still, the Lady Wildcats finished their first-round game Monday in the Sturgeon Tournament against New Franklin with 10 3-pointers. New Bloomfield didn’t have the same success from the free-throw line, losing 67-65 to the Lady Bulldogs.
Junior Brinley Dysart had a team-high 15 points and four 3-pointers while junior Avery Nichols followed with 14 points and two 3-pointers, senior Asya Nichols had 14 points and three 3-pointers and senior Ellie Emerson added eight points.
After not playing since Jan. 10 in a 44-22 loss against New Haven in the South Callaway Tournament, New Bloomfield coach Curt Riley said the Lady Wildcats (8-7) had trouble adjusting to the officiating of the game and couldn’t convert at the free-throw line, as New Bloomfield went 15-for-27 and the Lady Bulldogs (9-6) finished 34-for-48.
“We just weren’t very consistent from the line,” Riley said. “We shot well from 3, we got inside the paint and got some fouls on them. We had a chance for some four-point plays, and we just couldn’t hit the free throws.”
New Bloomfield was ahead 19-11 after one and 34-32 at halftime before the Lady Wildcats made a run for a 53-46 lead after three. New Franklin outscored New Bloomfield 21-12 in the fourth quarter.
New Bloomfield moves to the consolation bracket for a 6 p.m. today game at the middle school against Paris (1-11), who lost to No. 1 seed Community 60-29 on Monday.