EVANSVILLE - The Juda High School girls basketball team's magical postseason run came to a teary-eyed end as Fall River knocked off the Panthers 65-36 in a WIAA Division 5 sectional semifinal Thursday night at Evansville High School.
When Juda trailed by 18 points in the first half, the Panthers battled back and cut the Pirates' lead to nine points. However, when the Pirates went on a 21-3 run to start the second half, Juda couldn't answer.
"That first seven minutes of the game, they got us in a hole," Juda coach Curt Brown said. "We did a good job of fighting back. We expended so much energy in the first half to get back in the game. We ran out of gas a little bit in the second half. When you make it this far in the playoffs, you will play some great teams. They (Fall River) are as good as advertised."
Fall River senior Kelly Tramburg scored 17 of her game-high 21 points in the second half. She scored seven straight points in the Pirates' second-half surge. Senior teammate Alyssa Klecker added 16 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had three steals.
Juda junior Chelsea Burkhalter scored a team-high 16 points.
Juda (15-11) committed 22 turnovers and went cold in the second half, shooting 23.5 percent (4 of 17). The Panthers will still go down as the first team to win a regional championship in the history of the girls basketball program.
"They (Fall River) knew what to do in the second half," Burkhalter said. "We were the underdogs. We didn't know what to expect. The seniors are disappointed because this is the final game they will play. The rest of us will take this opportunity and experience and try to come back next year."
Early on, Fall River (21-4), looking to make a second straight state-tournament appearance, was clicking on all cylinders. The Pirates opened the game with a 13-0 run. Klecker scored six of the Pirates' first seven points in a spurt during the first 47 seconds.
"At the beginning, Fall River jumped out on us," Burkhalter said. "At that point we knew we had to step it up. We started hitting our shots and we said, 'Hey we are right there.'"
Burkhalter knocked down a jumper with 6 minutes, 3 seconds left in the first half to cut the Pirates' lead to 27-13. Juda junior Riley Adkins drilled a 3-pointer and hit a jumper to slice the Pirates' lead to 27-18 with 4:32 to go. The Pirates closed the first half strong and led 32-20 at the half.
"I kind of wish we didn't have a halftime," Brown said. "We had the momentum. Chelsea, Riley and Jessica (Crull) hit some big shots. We had the momentum. When a good team gets a second to recover they will came out strong in the second half. We didn't do what we needed to do X's- and O's-wise in the second half to come back."
Tramburg scored seven straight points to ignite the Pirates' surge. She scored down low with 3:40 to go to give the Pirates their biggest lead at 35 points, 61-26.
"Fall River came out with a lot of heart and a lot more aggressive," Burkhalter said. "With their height, they crashed the boards. It helped with her (Tramburg's) height. They have been in these big games before and have experience. She played a great game."
Tramburg is 5-foot-11; the tallest Panthers player is 5-8.
Juda junior Alexis Goecks scored just two points but had a team-high three steals. Adkins had five points. Juda sophomore Maddie Roth, sophomore Hailey Kammerer and junior Sara Jordan each chipped in three points.
"They (Fall River go on a six-, seven- or eight-point run and the lead balloons," Brown said. "That is what they do. Then you start panicking, and they have you where they want you."
Juda seniors Danielle Dieckhoff, Jessica Crull and Megan Powers played their last game for the Panthers.
"We will miss our three seniors," Brown said. "They were good leaders. They have been a great asset to the program."
Brown said he wants his team to build on the experience of playing in a big game.
"When the second half started you could see that Fall River had been there before," Brown said. "They knew what they had to do. We will have to work hard in the summer to come back next year."
When Juda trailed by 18 points in the first half, the Panthers battled back and cut the Pirates' lead to nine points. However, when the Pirates went on a 21-3 run to start the second half, Juda couldn't answer.
"That first seven minutes of the game, they got us in a hole," Juda coach Curt Brown said. "We did a good job of fighting back. We expended so much energy in the first half to get back in the game. We ran out of gas a little bit in the second half. When you make it this far in the playoffs, you will play some great teams. They (Fall River) are as good as advertised."
Fall River senior Kelly Tramburg scored 17 of her game-high 21 points in the second half. She scored seven straight points in the Pirates' second-half surge. Senior teammate Alyssa Klecker added 16 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had three steals.
Juda junior Chelsea Burkhalter scored a team-high 16 points.
Juda (15-11) committed 22 turnovers and went cold in the second half, shooting 23.5 percent (4 of 17). The Panthers will still go down as the first team to win a regional championship in the history of the girls basketball program.
"They (Fall River) knew what to do in the second half," Burkhalter said. "We were the underdogs. We didn't know what to expect. The seniors are disappointed because this is the final game they will play. The rest of us will take this opportunity and experience and try to come back next year."
Early on, Fall River (21-4), looking to make a second straight state-tournament appearance, was clicking on all cylinders. The Pirates opened the game with a 13-0 run. Klecker scored six of the Pirates' first seven points in a spurt during the first 47 seconds.
"At the beginning, Fall River jumped out on us," Burkhalter said. "At that point we knew we had to step it up. We started hitting our shots and we said, 'Hey we are right there.'"
Burkhalter knocked down a jumper with 6 minutes, 3 seconds left in the first half to cut the Pirates' lead to 27-13. Juda junior Riley Adkins drilled a 3-pointer and hit a jumper to slice the Pirates' lead to 27-18 with 4:32 to go. The Pirates closed the first half strong and led 32-20 at the half.
"I kind of wish we didn't have a halftime," Brown said. "We had the momentum. Chelsea, Riley and Jessica (Crull) hit some big shots. We had the momentum. When a good team gets a second to recover they will came out strong in the second half. We didn't do what we needed to do X's- and O's-wise in the second half to come back."
Tramburg scored seven straight points to ignite the Pirates' surge. She scored down low with 3:40 to go to give the Pirates their biggest lead at 35 points, 61-26.
"Fall River came out with a lot of heart and a lot more aggressive," Burkhalter said. "With their height, they crashed the boards. It helped with her (Tramburg's) height. They have been in these big games before and have experience. She played a great game."
Tramburg is 5-foot-11; the tallest Panthers player is 5-8.
Juda junior Alexis Goecks scored just two points but had a team-high three steals. Adkins had five points. Juda sophomore Maddie Roth, sophomore Hailey Kammerer and junior Sara Jordan each chipped in three points.
"They (Fall River go on a six-, seven- or eight-point run and the lead balloons," Brown said. "That is what they do. Then you start panicking, and they have you where they want you."
Juda seniors Danielle Dieckhoff, Jessica Crull and Megan Powers played their last game for the Panthers.
"We will miss our three seniors," Brown said. "They were good leaders. They have been a great asset to the program."
Brown said he wants his team to build on the experience of playing in a big game.
"When the second half started you could see that Fall River had been there before," Brown said. "They knew what they had to do. We will have to work hard in the summer to come back next year."
