Lady Tigers battle back for win

Odessa girls win first appearance in Floch Memorial game

MOSES LAKE — The Lady Tigers became part of the Ryan Floch Memorial Basketball Games tradition at Big Bend Community College with a 34-29 win over the Lady Broncos.

Odessa took the lead for good with two minutes left in the game Tuesday.

"I told the girls, 'You played good enough to win,'" said head coach Neil Jeske. "It was a sloppy game."

Andrea Kuch had a layup to make it 28-26 and followed the bucket with a long two to stretch the lead.

Despite the lead change, Lind-Ritzville continued to battle and pulled within one after Jenna Kragt went to the line and made 1 of 2 to make it 30-29.

With time winding down the Lady Broncos were forced to foul. Danielle Sackmann put Kuch on the line for 1-and-1 with 31 seconds left.

Kuch made both and put Odessa up 32-29.

Sackmann fouled again with eight seconds remaining and sent Jessica Jasman on the line.

Jasman shot 2 of 2 to give Odessa the five point win.

"Jessica Jasman really stepped up for us on the line," said Jeske.

The Lady Broncos jumped out to an early 4-0 lead after winning the tip-off.

Kuch scored the first points for Odessa on a layup to cut the lead in half.

"Andrea Kuch always has an excellent game," Jeske said.

Kragt pushed the lead back to four for Lind-Ritzville with a put-back.

The Lady Broncos ended the first quarter up 8-3.

Kuch opened the second quarter with a steal and bucket for Odessa. Her steal was followed by a steal by Jennie Harp.

Lind-Ritzville continued to maintain a small lead for most of the quarter until Kuch got another steal and score to tie it up at 12 with two minutes left in the half.

Each team scored one more basket before heading into their respective locker rooms tied at 14.

In the beginning of the third quarter, the teams traded a basket each before a five minute scoring drought.

The rut was ended when Kuch earned another layup to put her team up 18-16.

Lind-Ritzville's Sarah Kinney tied the game at 18 with a minute remaining in the third quarter.

Sackmann gave the Lady Broncos a 2-point lead with a long jump shot.

Her shot was answered with a turn around jumper from Raye Galloway.

With 14 seconds left in the third, Odessa put Jill Cain on the line to shoot two. Cain made one and put her team up 21-20.

Ann Marie Hunt extended Lind-Ritzville's lead to three as the fourth quarter began.

Both teams continued to battle as the quarter wore on, trading buckets and fouls, until the final surge from Odessa gave the Lady Tigers the win.

Kuch led Odessa with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Jasman and Galloway each had four points for Odessa.

Kragt led Lind-Ritzville with 7 points. Sackmann and Cain had four points each for Lind-Ritzville.

"It was a pretty even game the whole way," Jeske said.