Noxon nips Lady Trojans by 4

In a 12-point road victory the previous weekend, the Troy High School girls basketball team shot a respectable 47 percent from the field.

Then on Friday night at home against Noxon, the Lady Trojans lost the touch in a 40-36 nonconference setback. Troy shot just 21 percent from the floor.

“For some reason, we’re not shooting very well at home,” THS head coach Cory Andersen said. “When you shoot that low, it’s hard to win a close game.”

Despite those rough numbers, the Lady Trojans stayed in the game and nearly pulled it out. The Lady Devils didn’t clinch the victory until junior Stephanie Larkin sank a couple of free throws with nine seconds left.

Following a low-scoring first quarter, the Lady Trojans appeared to build some momentum over a three-minute stretch of the second. Noxon held a 10-6 lead at the 6:30 mark but Troy went on a 9-0 run to build a 15-10 advantage.

Cassidy Hand scored in the lane, Alyssa Olds hit a free throw and Allie Maestas sank a pair of 3-pointers to put a scare into the visitors. Noxon regained its composure, however, and finished the half strong to take a 16-15 lead in at the break.

The Lady Trojans failed to score over the final 3:42 of the first half.

“They play a defense that made us take 10-foot shots,” Andersen said.

With two quarters to play, the Trojans may have been down but they were not out. Troy trailed by just one point despite shooting 21.4 percent from the field, hitting only 1-of-7 free throws and losing the rebound battle to the tune of 29-11.

The two teams played neck and neck in the third. One of the differences that would hurt in the final analysis was Noxon had some degree of success at the free-throw line. With 39 fouls called in the game, each team’s performance at the line proved to be important.

In the fourth, Noxon got out to a 36-31 lead with 2:14 remaining but the home team had one final run left in the tank. Molly Harpole, who scored 12 of her game-high 14 points in the second half, scored and drew a foul with 1:01 left. She hit the free throw to cut the deficit down to 36-34.

Noxon’s Lindsey Franz countered with 1-of-2 foul shots to get the lead back up to 37-36. With 37 seconds left, Troy sophomore Jackie Pepiot scored to make it a one-point game. But that would be it for the Trojans.

Troy played the game with just seven players, which is especially tough when the shooting has gone cold.

“If somebody’s not making shots, we have to go to somebody else,” Andersen said.

Troy could be getting senior Alicia Anderson back soon. Anderson sprained her ankle last month against Libby.

“We’ll try next week and see how her ankle does,” Andersen said.

Harpole’s 14 came on 4-of-16 shooting and 6-of-13 free throws. She also had team highs for rebounds with 10 and assists with three. Maestas, Pepiot and Hand each scored six and Olds took in eight boards.

Freshman Cara Stettler came off the bench for Noxon to score 13, including 9-of-15 free throws. Franz added 11 points and 15 boards.

On Saturday, Troy dropped a 39-32 decision to Plains.

The Lady Trojans got into a 19-2 hole in the first quarter before starting to battle back. Troy went on a 12-3 run in the second quarter but could not overcome the deficit over the rest of the game.

Harpole led Troy with 17 points. Heather Earhart knocked down 22 for the Trotters.

It Was Over When …

Stephanie Larkin sank a pair of free throws with nine seconds remaining to give the Lady Devils a 40-36 lead and make it a two-possesion game.

Game Ball

Troy’s Molly Harpole, 5-foot-10 senior, finished with a double-double and had a team-high three assists. She scored a game-high 14 points and snagged 10 rebounds.

Stat of the Game

Noxon freshman Cara Stettler hit on 9-of-15 free throws for the visitors. Her nine fouls shots were one more than the Troy team combined.

Red Devils 40, Trojans 36

Friday at Troy

Noxon (6-7)    6    10    11    13—40

Troy (6-7)    4    11    10    11—36

Noxon (40)

Swant 0 0-2 0, Franz 5 1-4 11, Wilkinson 1 0-0 2, Larkin 1 2-2 4, R. Stettler 2 2-2 6, C. Stettler 2 9-15 13, Marich 2 0-0 4. Totals 13 14-25 40.

Troy (36)

Maestas 2 0-2 6, Pepiot 3 0-1 6, Olds 1 2-6 4, Harpole 4 6-13 14, Hand 3 0-0 6, Cummings 0 0-0 0, Hines 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 8-22 36.

Three-Pointers–Noxon 0, Troy 2 (Maestas 2). Rebounds–Noxon 59 (Franz 15), Troy 37 (Harpole 10). Assists–Noxon 7 (Wilkinson 3), Troy 7 (Harpole 3). Total Fouls–Noxon 19, Troy 20. Fouled Out–Olds, Hand. Technical Fouls–None.

Trotters 39, Trojans 32

Saturday at Plains

Troy (32)

Maestas 2, Pepiot 2, Olds 9, Harpole 17, Hand 2.

Plains (39)

Hermiston 2, Roosma 1, Earhart 22, Ehret 14.