By Mike McGraw
Executive Director
MONTICELLO – If I told you that Taylor’s Shelby Wall scored 28 points in the Titans’ first-round 61-57 victory over Lebanon at the Twin Lakes Invitational, you would think she had a good game. What if I told you she scored 23 of those in SIX AND A HALF MINUTES?!?
Wall exploded, and Class 2A No. 6 Taylor came roaring back from extinction with a fourth-quarter rally for the ages Dec. 28.
Lebanon dominated play in this game from the opening whistle. The Tigers did a wonderful job of preventing Wall from shooting the ball, and the rest of the Titans were ice cold from the field.
Lebanon cruised to a 12-7 lead after one quarter and expanded that to 25-18 at halftime. When the Tigers opened the third quarter with a 13-5 run, the upset looked likely. Eventually, the lead stretched to 43-23, and that upset looked certain.
It was at that point, with 1:30 left in the third quarter, that Wall went to the charity stripe and dropped two free throws. They were the first points the Indiana All-Star candidate had scored since completing a three-point play on the game’s opening possession.
It seemed innocent enough, but it wasn’t. Wall scored five more points in the remaining 90 seconds, and at the end of three periods Lebanon led 47-30.
Wall quickly scored to start the fourth stanza. Taylor scored again. Then Wall canned a long 3-pointer, then another, and then free throws.
The avalanche had begun. Taylor went on a 15-0 run to start the period, and it was suddenly 49-45 with still more than four minutes remaining.
Lebanon tried to stop the bleeding. The Tigers scored on two consecutive trips to stretch the lead back to 52-45.
It was of no consequence. By this point, Wall smelled blood in the water, and the rest of the Titans were circling. She hit a trey to cut the lead back to four, another one two possessions later to cut the margin to 55-52, and another on the next trip to tie the contest at 55.
There were still nearly three minutes to play. Wall had scored 23 points in a 32-8 Taylor run. Defense and strong free throw shooting down the stretch did the rest for the Titans.
TWIN LAKES TOURNAMENT
Day 1
Logansport 55, Indianapolis Cathedral 52
3A #6 Evansville Memorial 54, 1A #6 Randolph Southern 44
2A #4 Taylor 61, Lebanon 57
Twin Lakes 48, Western 38
Day 2
Logansport vs. 3A #6 Evansville Memorial, 11 am semifinal
Indianapolis Cathedral vs. 1A #6 Randolph Southern, 11 am consolation
2A #4 Taylor at Twin Lakes, 12:30 pm semifinal
Lebanon vs. Western, 12:30 pm consolation
Loser Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8, 4:30 pm seventh place
Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 8, 6 pm fifth place
Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 7, 6 pm third place
Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7, 8 pm championship
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