Jackson's shots don't fall in loss to Normandy

ST. LOUIS -- The Jackson girls basketball team has lived and died with their outside shooting during the 2006-07 season.

The Indians did a lot of living during a successful regular season, a district tournament run and sectional victory.

But Jackson's campaign died with some miserable shooting Saturday, as the Indians fell one game short of making it to the MSHSAA Class 5 final four with a 46-41 loss to Normandy on Saturday at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

"The bottom line is that we just did not shoot the ball well enough to win," Jackson coach Sam Sides said. "We had a lot of good looks and opportunities but we missed from all over the court."

Jackson shot just 27.8 percent from the field. The Indians made just six of their 26 3-point attempts, only one in the second half. And, worst of all, they converted just five of 16 free throw attempts.

"I think the game comes down to them making their free throws at the end and we did not," Jackson senior center Amanda Peiffer said.

Free throw shooting has been a season-long problem for Jackson, which came into the game shooting just 57 percent from the line.

Despite the rough shooting day Jackson actually had a 40-36 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

"We were just one basket away about three times of getting ourselves a good spread," Sides said. "We just couldn't get them to fall."

Kelci Keith had a pivotal 3-point attempt go in and out in the final minutes. Normandy iced it with four consecutive free throws in the final seconds. Jackson made just two of its six free throws in the fourth quarter.

There were five ties in the first half. Jackson never trailed until Jasmine Bailey scored on a put-back with 10 seconds left in the half, and Normandy went to the locker room with a 22-20 lead.

The Vikings stretched the lead to as many as six points in the third quarter. Peiffer scored six of Jackson's eight third-quarter points to keep the Indians close.

Sophomore Ashten Howard came through with nine points in the fourth quarter to give the Indians their four-point lead. But Bailey answered with eight points in a row for the Vikings.

"I am real proud of this team," Peiffer said. "We worked really hard to get this far. I think we proved that we can play with anyone. The majority of the shooters are going to be back. I think they can match what we did this season or maybe do even better."

Jackson finished with a 19-8 record.

"I don't think anyone would have predicted at the beginning of the season that this was going to be a final four team," Sides said. "But we were a couple of minutes and a couple of baskets away from making it to Columbia. I am very proud of these girls.

"Normandy is so much more athletic than we are. But we stuck right there. If only we would have made a few more shots."

Howard and Keith, who are both eligible to return next year, scored in double figures for Jackson. Howard led the Indians with 11 points. Keith hit three first half 3-pointers and finished with 10. Peiffer had nine points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Point guard Cody Goodpasture, who also will return next year, had six assists and no turnovers.

Shameia Green had 19 points to pace the Vikings (20-7). Bailey had 14 and Myesha Gladden added 12.

Normandy advances to Friday's MSHSAA semifinals against Hazelwood East, which beat Nerinx Hall on Saturday night.

NORMANDY 46, JACKSON 41

Normandy 12 10 10 14 -- 46

Jackson 12 8 8 13 -- 41

NORMANDY (46) -- Shameia Green 19, Jasmine Bailey 14, Myesha Gladden 12, Rikkisha Polk 1. FG 17, FT 6-9, F 14 (3-pointers: Green 3, Gladden 2, Bailey 1. Fouled out: none).

JACKSON (41) -- Ashten Howard 11, Kelci Keith 10, Amanda Peiffer 9, Ashley Charbonneau 7, Jenni Tenholder 3, Cody Goodpasture 1. FG 15, FT 5-16. F 11 (3-pointers: Keith 3, Charbonneau 1, Howard 1, Tenholder 1. Fouled out: none).