Alyssa Crockett’s game-winner beats Kentucky

OWENSBORO, Ky. — It was, admittedly, not a classic efficiency for Alyssa Crockett. However because the years move and the small print grow to be fuzzy, the end of Friday night time’s Indiana All-Stars expertise towards Kentucky will at all times keep together with her.

Crockett, the Westfield star and soon-to-be Michigan freshman, hit a operating 10-footer from the appropriate aspect off the glass with 2.2 seconds remaining to offer the women Indiana All-Stars a 67-66 victory over Kentucky. It was a incredible end for Indiana after gifting away a seven-point lead within the ultimate 74 seconds.

“Often, they don’t go in,” Crockett stated of her earlier last-second shot makes an attempt. “It felt good as a result of our Westfield staff by no means received a sectional so this undoubtedly felt like a sectional to me and my staff. I hope we are able to do it once more (Saturday).”

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Crockett struggled together with her shot all night time, lacking all seven of her 3-point makes an attempt. She was simply 1-for-12 from the sector total till her game-winner. Crockett stated the ultimate play, which got here after a Kentucky turnover with 8.6 seconds left, didn’t essentially materialize as deliberate. She took a move from Jessica Carrothers on the proper elbow, hesitated, then dribbled towards the basket as she was intently guarded by Kentucky’s Rylee Turner.

“Not numerous ladies have felt that feeling earlier than and neither have I,” Crockett stated. “It was a great feeling of collectiveness after the sport.”

Indiana will try and earn its first sweep of Kentucky since 2016 when the groups play the second sport of the doubleheader Saturday at 5 p.m. at Southport Fieldhouse. The groups break up the collection in 2017, ’18, ’19 and final yr (there was no collection in 2020 as a result of pandemic).

The balanced Indiana All-Stars had been led by North Central’s Tanyuel Welch with 13 factors, 5 rebounds and 4 steals. Welch went on a private 6-0 run to offer Indiana a 58-52 lead with 4 minutes remaining.

“Actually, I used to be simply feeding off the staff’s vitality,” Welch stated of her run. “We had a tough begin so far as hitting pictures, however we made up for it on protection and that led to higher offense. We had been getting the pictures we needed early, they only weren’t getting in. We acquired slightly extra aggressive on protection and created some quick breaks.”

Indiana was capable of overcome its offensive woes, which included 1-for-13 capturing from the 3-point line, 12-for-26 capturing from the free-throw line and 23 turnovers, to take a 64-57 lead with 1:24 remaining on a basket by Franklin’s Ashlyn Traylor. But it surely was something however straightforward for Indiana from there.

Kentucky, using a full-court press, minimize Indiana’s result in 65-64 on two free throws by Kentucky Miss Basketball Amiya Jenkins with 38.3 seconds left. After an Indiana turnover, Kentucky’s Jaileyah Cotton scored on a brief jumper to place Kentucky forward 66-65 with 16.3 seconds remaining.

“We needed to complete the sport out slightly higher than we did,” stated Homestead’s Rod Parker, the Indiana coach. “However on this setting, you don’t get to play collectively fairly often so that you’re not very polished on closing out video games.”

Crown Level’s Carrothers was referred to as for an offensive foul with 12.3 seconds left, giving the ball again to Kentucky with a one-point lead. However Indiana pressured the inbounds play and Kentucky, after narrowly avoiding a five-second name, was whistled for touring after the inbounds move.

That gave Indiana — and Crockett — yet one more probability. She took benefit.

“I’ve performed with numerous these ladies and a few of them I haven’t performed with earlier than,” she stated. “To have the ability to spend 5 days collectively and grow to be actually good pals undoubtedly has meant loads to me. To go 2-0 for the week and hopefully 3-0 goes to make it much more thrilling.”

Traylor and Carrothers every added 12 factors for Indiana. Carrothers, a Butler recruit, had a team-high 9 rebounds. Crockett completed with six factors and 6 rebounds. Jenkins led Kentucky with 16 factors.

Indiana was taking part in with out Miss Basketball Ayanna Patterson of Homestead. She was injured in apply Wednesday at UConn, however made the journey again to be with the staff for the weekend.

“She was injured the final apply earlier than she got here right here,” Parker stated. “She was desiring to play. It undoubtedly impacted the sport to not have her on the market. We’d like to have her ability set on the market, however I’m glad she made the hassle to return again and be part of it.”

Mila Reynolds of South Bend Washington left the staff unexpectedly Thursday, All-Stars director Mike Broughton stated. The 6-3 Reynolds, a Maryland recruit, performed greater than 13 minutes Wednesday in an 89-86 win over the Junior All-Stars at Mt. Vernon, ending with 13 factors and 4 rebounds on 5-for-13 capturing from the sector.

Broughton stated the staff was caught off guard by Reynolds’ departure and was not given a motive. Reynolds’ father, Steve Reynolds, is the South Bend Washington coach. The Panthers had been 27-3 final season and received the Class 3A state championship.

Name Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

INDIANA 67, KENTUCKY 66

INDIANA – Jessica Carrothers 5-6 2-5 12, Ashlyn Traylor 4-7 3-6 12, Tanyuel Welch 5-10 3-7 13, Zoe Stewart 2-6 0-0 4, Alyssa Crockett 2-13 2-2 6, Kynidi Mason-Striverson 0-4 0-0 0, Hope Fox 1-1 0-0 2, Lilly Stoddard 3-6 1-4 7, Kate Clarke 0-4 0-0 0, Ally Madden 3-4 1-2 7, Olivia Smith 2-4 0-0 4. Totals: 27-65 12-26 67.

KENTUCKY – Amiya Jenkins 5-20 5-6 16, Jaileyah Cotton 2-12 3-4 8, Josie Gilvin 7-12 0-0 14, Gracie Merkle 4-8 6-9 14, Caddisy Rowe 3-7 0-0 8, Monica Lindsey 3-5 0-0 6, Rylee Turner 0-2 0-0 0. Jenna Lillard 0-1 0-0 0, Riley Neal 0-4 0-0 0, Macie Feldman 0-2 0-0 0, Amaya Curry 0-0 0-0 0, Lauren Hawthorne 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 24-73 14-19 66.

Rebounds: Indiana 46 (Carrothers 9), Kentucky 50 (Merkle 12); Assists: Indiana 11 (4 with 2); Kentucky 9 (Cotton 4); Turnovers: Indiana 23, Kentucky 23.