Kennett girls basketball team edges Campbell 45-44 in final seconds

Photo by Dustin Ward, staff
Kennett’s Camille Thomas (left) and Ara Speilman (right) attempt to guard Campbell’s Adrionna Pearson in a varsity girls basketball game Saturday at Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff.

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. - It came down to the final second but the Kennett Indians varsity girls basketball team managed to escape with a one-point victory against the Campbell Camels Saturday at Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff.

Following a timeout, Kennett inbounded the ball underneath its own basket and worked the ball to Camille Thomas, who penetrated to the rim and was fouled with 6.3 seconds remaining in regulation. Thomas made the second of two free throw attempts to put Kennett on top 45-44.

Campbell then pushed the ball the length of the floor and was fouled in the paint with two-tenths of a second remaining. The Camels missed both free throw attempts allowing Kennett to escape with a 45-44 victory.

“Camille stepped up and made a good play to get to the goal in a tie game and made her second free throw,” Kennett coach Kevin McCaig said. “Then Campbell, which only missed three free throws the entire game, just happened to miss two at the end.”

Kennett enjoyed a 37-27 lead in the opening minute of the fourth quarter and continued to lead 44-38 with 2:55 remaining before Campbell rallied to tie things up in the final minute.

Peters knocked down a 2-pointer with 2:00 remaining to cut the deficit to 44-40 before Claire Parker made a pair of free throws with 31 seconds left to cut the deficit to 44-42 and two more free throws with 27 seconds left to tie things up at 44-all.

“We haven’t had a lot of success and are not keen on understanding how to add to it,” McCaig said. “We got a 10-point lead and allowed them to get back in it instead of finishing it.”

Janesha Hubbard set the tone early for Kennett offensively. The junior recorded eight of her team-high 15 points in the first quarter helping Kennett jump out to an early 16-6 lead.

“We leaned on Janesha tonight,” McCaig said. “She made a bunch of tough baskets and got us going. Our juniors have stepped up and played two good games back-to-back. Our younger girls are looking for our juniors to lead and I think the last two games Janesha and Camille have stepped up to that call.”

Campbell managed to cut the deficit to 24-21 by halftime but failed to score again until the 1:48 mark of the third quarter allowing Kennett to pad its lead to double digits at 33-21.

Parker led all scorers with 17 points. Emily Peters also finished in double digits for Campbell with 10 points.

Kennett improves to 4-8 with the victory. Campbell drops to 4-6 with the loss.

Kennett 45, Campbell 44

CHS 9 12 6 17 - 44

KHS 16 8 11 10 - 45

CAMPBELL (44) - Claire Parker 17, Emily Peters 10, Hannah Farmer 2, Adrionna Pearson 6, Madisyn Townsend 9. FG 11, FT 20/23, F 13. (3-pointers: Parker 1, Townsend 1; Fouled out: None).

KENNETT (45) - Camille Thomas 5, Antonia Randle 4, Kaniya Madlock 5, Caroline Patton 9, Kyra Jaco 5, Janesha Hubbard 15, Ara Speilman 2. FG 15, FT 11/21, F 19. (3-pointers: Madlock 1; Fouled out: Speilman).

Photo by Dustin Ward, staff
Kennett’s Kyra Jaco is chased by Campbell’s Claire Parker in a varsity girls basketball game Saturday at Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff.