OTIS — A first-half lead for La Crosse High School didn’t amount to much when Otis-Bison’s Hannah Bannister got rolling in the third quarter of Friday night’s girls’ basketball game.
While Bannister propelled the Lady Cougars to a small lead, the game was knotted at the end of regulation and La Crosse scored late for a 51-49 win.
“In the first half, I thought we played really poor defense,” Otis-Bison head coach Richard Schmidt said. “They got the ball to the post people way too easy. They make a pass from the outlet in, and we had nobody covering.
“All we did was pick it up on defense (in the second half). We tied it up and got ahead. I don’t know what quarter, but it was just back and forth then.”
The Lady Leopards led 26-15 heading into intermission.
Bannister came out shooting in the third quarter.
Sinking three 3-pointers, Bannister scored 13 of her 22 points in the third period that saw the Lady Cougars outscore La Crosse 17-8.
“She got the momentum going, and they tried to shut her down,” Schmidt said. “They left everybody else open, and the other girls couldn’t just make a shot. Then they got scared to shoot and everything went the other way.”
The Lady Leopards led 34-32 heading into the final eight minutes , but Annie Kraisinger put in a long shot for two points to tie the game at 47 with 1:18 remaining.
The Lady Cougars had possession of the ball with 30 seconds left, but a jump ball ended their chance to score.
Kim Pechanec scored first to give Otis-Bison a 49-47 lead, but La Crosse scored just enough to win.
Otis-Bison hosts Healy on Tuesday night.
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
GIRLS
At Otis
Friday
La Crosse 51, Otis-Bison 49
LA CROSSE
Ashley Depperschmidt 4 0-0 12, Alyssa Oborny 1 0-0 2, Rachel Weigel 4 0-0 10, Mary Lacy 0 0-0 0, Billie Hayes 0 0-1 0, Morgan West 6 5-11 17, Marissa Wagner 4 0-0 8. Totals 19 5-12 51.
OTIS-BISON (1-5)
Annie Kraisinger 5 3-6 13, Demi Bartonek 1 1-3 3, Katie Tammen 0 0-0 0, Emily Schneider 0 0-0 0, Hannah Bannister 9 0-0 22, Kim Pechanec 5 1-4 11, Megan Tammen 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 5-13 49.
La Crosse 13 13 8 13 4 — 51
Otis-Bison 9 6 17 15 2 — 49
Three-point goals — La Crosse 6 (Depperschmidt 4, Weigel 2); Otis-Bison . Total fouls — La Crosse 13, Otis-Bison 13. Fouled out — none.
