The Oneida Lady Indians used a well-rounded effort to tighten their grip on the District 3A- standings Friday, downing the preseason favorites from Sunbright by the final score of 61-41. Oneida got after things defensively and withstood each Lady Tigers rally en route to improving to 8-5 overall, 7-0 in district play. Sunbright fell to 11-4, 5-2 in district play. The Lady Indians now hold a two-game lead in the standings with nine district contests left to play.
Oneida came out firing on all cylinders in building a 10-point lead after one, 22-12. Things got a bit more defensive in the second as each team could only muster up two points over the first 4+ minutes before the Lady Indians picked things up a bit, outscoring Sunbright 11-7 in the frame to take a 33-19 lead into the break. Oneida kept its foot on the pedal in the third on both ends building a lead as big as 19 points at 45-26 before settling for a 45-28 lead. The Lady Tigers came out on fire to start the fourth, pulling to within nine points at 47-38 before Oneida responded with an 14-0 run to put the game away, winning 61-41.
The trio of Kelsey Pike, Katelyn Stiltner and Jacey Manis were steady in scoring throughout the night as they would score in 11 of the 12 available periods of play. Pike led the way with 14 points, including 12 in the first half. Stiltner finished with 12 points eight rebounds, and Manis finished with 12 points. Although seniors Gracie Martin and Emily Wisner only finished with four points and three points respectively, they made things happen throughout the game on both ends of the court, constantly helping to turn over the Lady Tigers, grabbing boards, and creating opportunities for the Lady Indians to score in transition —including a behind the back pass from Martin to Braelyn Russ. Oneida’s remaining 16 points came via a 7-point output from Russ, four points from Faith Cross, a 3-pointer by Annaleah Terry, and a layup from Caroline Bell.
Pike and Manis dialed it up from long distance in the first to the tune of 13 points (Pike eight points and Manis five points), Martin worked transition for four points, and Stiltner and Bell worked the paint for five points (3-point play from Stiltner and a layup from Bell). When the dust had settled on the frame, Oneida led 22-12.
The second period was a gambler’s dream as 7s and 11s were wild with Oneida rolling up the 11s to take a 14-point lead into the break, 33-19. The period saw Pike score four points on a bucket and two charity tosses, Manis buried another triple, Stiltner hit a pair from the stripe, and Martin went behind the back to Russ.
Stiltner took over yet again in another third period as she worked the paint for five points (three on an old fashioned 3-point play in helping Oneida build a 45-28 lead heading into the fourth. The Lady Indians’ remaining seven points came via Russ bomb and deuces from Manis and Cross.
Despite a 9-2 run to start the fourth that pulled Sunbright to within nine points at 47-38 the Lady Indians never panicked. It was a steal and 3-point play from Wisner that returned the tide and sealed the deal, sparking a 14-0 run that saw Oneida take a 61-38 lead before settling for a 61-41 victory. Along with the 3-point play, six other Lady Indians got in on the act as Terry buried a triple, Stiltner, Cross, Manis, and Russ all knocked home a bucket, and Pike buried a pair from the stripe.
ONEIDA (61): Russ 7, Pike 14, Manis 12, Bell 2, Terry 3, Cross 4, Martin 4, Stiltner 12, and Wisner 3.
SUNBRIGHT (41): Nitzschke 2, Northrup 5, Trent 3, Cox 11, Shannon 6, and Brown 14.
