Scott City girls basketball team nips Ste. Genevieve

It wasn't pretty, even downright ugly at times, but the Scott City girls basketball team didn't mind.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and Monday night that meant a sixth consecutive win for the Rams, a 46-45 victory over visiting Ste. Genevieve.

"It was very intense. We're very happy to win," Scott City senior guard Andrea Gray said.

The Class 3 Rams (9-7) were especially elated to squeeze out the victory over the Class 4 squad since they trailed most of the second half.

"It was a pretty ugly game, but I thought we showed a lot of mental toughness," Scott City coach Ricky Keller said.

Scott City’s Alicia Kern collides with Ste. Genevieve’s Elle Korenak on a drive to the basket during the third quarter Monday in Scott City. The Rams won 46-45. (Kristin Eberts)

Scott City's winning streak, which came after a five-game losing skid, has coincided with the return of several key players who were injured.

Gray is among that group. She hit the game's biggest shot Monday, a 3-pointer with 1 minute, 32 seconds left that gave the Rams their first lead in the second half at 42-41. They never trailed again.

"I just let it go and hoped to God it went in," said Gray, who scored nine points and drew four charges. "I was so happy."

Katie Hogan, a 6-foot-2 senior forward who leads the Rams in scoring and rebounding, drew a charge with 26 seconds left that had the home fans cheering and the visiting fans howling.

"I don't know if it was a charge or not. I got lucky," said a smiling Hogan.

Hogan scored nine of her game-high 15 points in the fourth quarter. She also pulled down nine rebounds and blocked nine shots.

Hogan accomplished all of that despite being in foul trouble much of the night. She got her fourth foul in the final minute of the third quarter but never picked up her fifth.

"That killed us," Keller said about Hogan's foul problems. "But she did a good job in the fourth quarter."

Gray hit two free throws with 25 seconds left to make it 44-41. She drew a less controversial charge seven seconds later.

Hogan nailed a pair of free throws with 17 seconds remaining to put Scott City up 46-41. But the Rams were not quite home free.

Ste. Genevieve scored with 7 seconds left then came up with a steal. But the Hunters got a layup just before the buzzer instead of going for a 3-pointer.

"A lot of the year, sometimes in the second half, we'd let down," Gray said. "We just stayed in it."

Freshman point guard Lyndsie Robert, who turned 15 on Monday, grabbed seven rebounds and added six points for the Rams.

"I thought she played out of her mind," Keller said. "And Andrea Gray really adds a lot to our team now that she's back."

Both squads shot a little better than 30 percent from the field. Scott City had 19 turnovers, and Ste. Genevieve turned over the ball 22 times. Each side committed 25 fouls.

"They have a good team," Gray said. "Overall we're improving. Everyone's healthy now."

The Hunters hurt themselves from the free-throw line by making just 10 of 24. Scott City was 14 of 22, including 6 of 7 in the fourth quarter.

"We hit some big shots at the end and some really big free throws," Keller said. "And drawing those two late charges were huge."

Scott City held Ste. Genevieve without a field goal in the first quarter to build a 7-1 lead.

Ste. Genevieve picked up the pace in the second period, outscoring Scott City 20-14. The Hunters built a pair of six-point leads before the Rams rallied for a 21-21 tie entering the break.

The Hunters regained the lead early in the third quarter and opened a 35-26 advantage before entering the final period up 35-28.

Scott City trailed 37-30 with less than five minutes left before rallying.

"We kind of folded in the third quarter," Hogan said. "We knew we had to push through."

Hogan's only 3-pointer of the night made it 37-33 with 4:15 remaining and began a 16-4 Scott City run.

Hogan's 15-footer pulled the Rams into a 39-39 tie with 2:15 left. They fell back behind 41-39 before Gray's only 3-pointer of the game put them ahead to stay.

"It's a big win for us to beat a Class 4 team," Keller said.

Senior forward Hanna Klein paced the Hunters with 14 points.

Ste. Genevieve 1 20 14 10 -- 45

Scott City 7 14 7 18 -- 46

STE. GENEVIEVE (45) -- Elle Korenak 1, Paige Schmelzle 8, Morgan Grither 4, Hanna Klein 14, Megan Hermann 2, Abby Meyer 7, Jasmine Kuehn 9. FG 16, FT 10-24, F 25. (3-pointers: Schmelzle 1, Grither 1, Meyer 1. Fouled out: Korenak, Schmelzle, Grither)

SCOTT CITY (46) -- Lyndsie Robert 6, Jessica Boswell 2, Lindsey Rendleman 5, Katie Rhymer 2, Katie Hogan 15, Brittany Kiefer 4, Alicia Kern 3, Andrea Gray 9. FG 15, FT 14-22, F 25. (3-pointers: Hogan 1, Gray 1. Fouled out: none)

JV -- Ste. Genevieve won 60-35.