Hauser’s Braelyn Williams (10) ducks under a block attempt by Morristown’s Jayla Keithley (32) Thursday at Hauser High School.
Nicholas Shaw | For the Republic
HOPE — Trailing by 16 points early in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s senior night girls basketball game, Hauser didn’t go away quietly.
The Jets found a spark offensively and with its full-court press to cut the lead to seven with four minutes remaining. But visiting Morristown was able to hold on for a 53-46 Mid-Hoosier Conference victory.
Hauser took a big hit when point guard Kennedy Konradi fouled out in the midst of that 11-2 run to get back into the game.
“Some of our offense really keys on Kennedy being able to get downhill and create stuff for other people,” Hauser coach Kyle Shipp said. “I think we were doing that in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter, and then she gets in foul trouble and comes out, so our offense kind of comes to a halt there.”
The Yellow Jackets (10-9, 3-3) jumped out to an early 7-0 lead, but the Jets (11-9, 2-3) came back to take 10-9 and 12-11 leads. But Hauser committed 13 of its 18 turnovers in the first half and trailed 18-12 at the break.
Morristown built the lead to 38-24 after three quarters and led 41-25 with seven minutes remaining when the Jets made their run.
“We didn’t value the basketball very well in the first half, so you’re creating uphill battles for yourself,” Shipp said. “We closed the gap and actually took the lead, but we could never kind of continue to build those pieces to extend that lead when we were getting our stops in the first half. Then, the third quarter, we just struggled.”
Abby Manley scored 11 points, and June Berkenstock had nine points and 10 rebounds to lead Hauser. Senior Braelyn Williams also finished with nine points, and the other senior, Chloe Phelps, added six points.
Berkenstock had missed the previous two games with an ankle injury.
“It’s the first time in three weeks that we’ve had our full roster in a game,” Shipp said. “June was kind of knocking some rust off and played a little bit better in the second half.”
The Jets have postponed Saturday’s home game with Christian Academy of Indiana to Jan. 29 because of inclement weather expected for Saturday. Hauser is scheduled to visit North Decatur Tuesday, but if that game cannot be played Tuesday, it will be moved to Jan. 29, and the Christian Academy of Indiana game would be canceled since the sectional is the following week.
Morristown 53, Hauser 46
Morristown;9;9;20;15;—;53
Hauser;6;6;12;22;—;46
Morristown (10-9, 3-3): Sawyer Rogers 0 0-0 0, Brooke Kuhn 3 0-0 7, Katie Theobald 6 2-2 16, Mykynzy Smith 0 1-2 1, Abby Hawk 0 0-0 0, Chloe Theobald 0 0-0 0, Jayla Kuethley 4 8-14 17, Nadia Rude 4 3-3 11, Ayvah Weir 0 1-2 1. Totals: 17 15-23 53.
Hauser (11-9, 2-3): June Berkenstock 4 1-2 9, Ava Dempsey 0 0-0 0, Braelyn WIlliams 3 1-2 9, Kennedy Konradi 1 2-4 5, Chloie Phelps 2 2-2 6, Hayden Dickey 1 0-0 3, Abby Manley 4 0-2 11, Leah Manley 0 1-2 1, Abby Stacey 1 0-0 2. Totals: 16-7-14 46.
3-point goals: Morristown 4 (Theobald 2, Kuhn, Keuthley). Hauser 7 (A. Manley 3, Williams, Konradi, Dickey).
