Fairbanks’ Logan Stidham, left, and Tori Thomas of Triad battle for possession of the ball Saturday afternoon. Stidham scored 24 points during the Lady Panthers’ 56-42 victory. Also pictured are Triad’s Cati LeVan (13) and Fairbanks’ Audrey Brackenridge (24).
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
—
There was one big difference for the Fairbanks girls basketball team on Saturday afternoon that it didn’t have more than a month ago when it first played neighboring Triad.
The Lady Panthers did not have the services of senior Logan Stidham during the game that was played on Dec. 2.
The result was a 58-41 victory for the Lady Cardinals.
Fast forward the calendar to this past Saturday and Stidham’s presence in the line-up made all the difference in the world during FHS’ 56-42 triumph.
“Logan coming back does make a huge difference,” agreed Panther coach Brock Oakes after his team improved to 6-10 overall and 4-7 in the Ohio Heritage Conference.
Stidham missed the first portion of the season due to non-basketball related issues.
Fairbanks struggled during her absence, but has posted a 2-2 record since her return.
Stidham is averaging a little more than 18 points per game.
The sharp-shooting senior burned the ropes for 17 points during the first half as FHS jumped out to a 22-11 lead in the opening quarter and took a 37-24 margin at halftime.
“Logan is a player who looks to score and she’s always got the green light,” said Oakes.
“Logan is a super player,” said Triad coach Jeff Merklin. “Her shooting really put us in a hole during the first half.”
At one stretch of the opening quarter, Stidham buried consecutive trifectas and Emily Wilson followed suit as FHS pulled out to a 19-6 lead.
The margin grew to 30-11 early in the second set when Stidham scored five quick points and Joelle Ziegler knocked down a three-ball.
Charity tosses from Emma Vanninen and a traditional three-point play by Cati LeVan pulled Triad to within 30-20.
Bella Rowland of Fairbanks got into the scoring act with a pair of free throws and a basket.
Tori Thomas dropped in a three-pointer for Triad, but Sam Picklesimer’s bucket sent FHS into the turn with their 37-24 lead.
The third quarter was much different as the Lady Panthers (who will host Elgin on Tuesday) cooled off quite a bit.
The Lady Cardinals, who didn’t shoot all that well themselves, kept up the battle.
“We got great effort out of the girls today,” said Merklin.
A free throw by Stidham pushed FHS out to a 43-27 advantage late in the third quarter.
Alea Ferguson and LeVan scored on back-to-back possessions and a jumper by Makenzie Cauley pulled Triad to within 43-33 at the end of the period.
The momentum began to shift in the Lady Cardinals’ favor once the final quarter got under way.
Frani LeVan hit nothing but net on a three-ball, Ferguson converted a steal into a layup and Thomas sank a pair of charity tosses.
All of the sudden, Triad had whittled the gap down to 43-40 with slightly more than six minutes to play.
That would, however, be the extent of the Lady Cardinals’ rally.
“When you fight back like that, you expend a lot of energy,” said Merklin. “We cut it to three, but we just couldn’t get over that hump.
An icy shooting performance had something to do with that.
After hitting 51 percent from the floor during Thursday’s 59-50 win over Springfield Catholic Central, the Lady Cardinals, who will host Cedarville tonight, shot an extremely frosty 10-of-60 against the Panthers.
Both teams went through several exchanges of possessions during the next several minutes.
Stidham hit two free throws for a 45-40 lead and then fed Audrey Brackenridge for a bucket and a seven-point margin.
Rowland sank a charity toss and Ziegler scored on an inbounds play for a 50-40 spread.
Fairbanks began using the clock as the timer fell below the two-minute mark.
The Lady Cardinals (who are now 8-5 overall and 6-4 in the OHC) were forced to foul in order to stop the clock.
Stidham connected on two free throws for a 52-40 lead.
Ziegler later came up with four charity tosses down the stretch to provide for the final margin of victory.
“Fairbanks made their free throws when they had to,” said Merklin.
Oakes was pleased that this game marked the first time he’s had a full veteran presence was on the court this season.
Brackenridge, a senior, played in her first game since earlier injuring her wrist.
“This is the first time we’ve had all our seniors (Stidham, Brackenridge, Wilson, Megan Olson, Zoe Walls and Picklesimer) on the court during the same game,” he said. “Getting Audrey back was also huge because she brings so much energy to the floor.”
Fairbanks
Stidham 7-6-24, Ziegler 2-4-9, Wilson 2-1-6, Rowland 1-3-5, Brackenridge 2-0-4, Olson 2-0-4, Walls 1-0-2, Picklesimer 1-0-2, Wanamaker 0-0-0, Kugel 0-0-0. Totals 18-14-56.
Three-point goals: Stidham 4, Ziegler 1, Wilson 1.
Triad
C. LeVan 4-1-11, Vanninen 0-9-9, Ferguson 2-3-7, Thomas 2-2-7, F. LeVan 1-0-3, Lightle 0-3-3, Cauley 1-0-2, Cole 0-0-0, Hasting 0-0-0, Plank 0-0-0, Bailey 0-0-0. Totals 10-18-42.
Three-point goals: C. LeVan 2, Thomas 1, F. LeVan 1.