Girls basketball: Ninth-ranked Tigers control their own destiny

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With three weeks remaining in the regular season the Missota Conference race is wide open.

Four teams sit tied atop the league standings at 6-2 — Farmington, Shakopee, Chanhassen and New Prague. The Tigers did their part to keep pace by holding off ninth-ranked (Class 3A) Red Wing 48-43 Friday night in Red Wing, and now control their own fate as they play host to Chanhassen and Shakopee this week, then close out the regular season with a home date against New Prague Feb. 25 at Tiger Gym.

The ninth-ranked (Class 4A) Tigers struggled from the free-throw line against the Wingers, but made the shots when they mattered most. The team made just eight of their first 23 free throw attempts and their 41-34 lead dwindled to 41-40 with a minute to play after three straight misses on the front end of 1-and-1s.

Two Paige Steele free throws bumped the lead back to three points and the Tigers ended up making 7 of 8 charity tosses in the final minute to complete the season sweep of the Wingers.

Taylor Meyer made four free throws in the final 15 seconds and finished with 15 points and a season-high 18 rebounds. Her lone three-pointer capped an 8-0 run to start the second half that gave the visitors a 27-22 lead.

Senior post Elena Koch added 12 points and six rebounds and Jamie Kenealy scored 10 points and handed out five assists.

The Tigers (16-2) put the same three players in double figures in last Tuesday’s 63-42 non-conference win at Rochester Century.

Meyer tallied another double-double, scoring 16 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and adding four assists and four steals. Koch scored 14 points and Kenealy tacked on 11.

Jordan Bridges chipped in six points and eight rebounds and Isis Alexander scored seven points.

The Tigers led 31-14 by the break, the seventh time they’ve held an opponent to 15 points of fewer in a half this season.

Tags: girls basketball, sports, farmington, tigers, prep