Tabor splits at Bethany

The Tabor College women's basketball team lost 79-77 at Bethany Saturday night. The men's team won in a rout, 79-58.

Sparked
by Zach Vanselow, who threw in 17 of his 26 total points during the
first half, Tabor led 36-22 at intermission. Vanselow threw down a
rim-rocking dunk 53 seconds into the game, drawing a foul in the
process. He knocked down the free throw, then alternated mid-range
jumpers with Mike Rousell, giving Tabor an 11-6 lead with 16:52 left in
the period.

Kyle Kroeker banked in a floater, Orson Thomas added
a finger roll layup, and Vanselow squared up for a 12-footer during a
6-3 stretch.

Bethany outscored Tabor 8-7 during the next 3:56.
But the Bluejay offense continued to roll. Vanselow posted up Gordon
Brown and scored over the 6'7 senior with ease. Rousell notched a fast
break layup, and Kyle de Blonk nocked down a left wing trey.

After
a time out, Tabor closed out the half on a 10-1 run?and Vanselow was in
the middle of the action. He skyed in the lane for an offensive rebound
and putback. He buried a jumper at the foul line. He swatted away a
shot attempted by Roddrick Williams. He turned a pass from Caleb Good
into another 2-pointer with 34 seconds left in the first half.

Vanselow
stood out, but the Bluejays team effort was well-rounded. Ten players
scored a field goal, and 12 recorded at least one assist. Orson Thomas
turned in an 11 point, 10 rebound double-double. Rousell finished with
12. Tabor out-rebounded Bethany 48-26.

The women's game was marred by an incessant stream of foul
calls, as the teams combined for 62 whistles and 70 free throw attempts.

"I
didn't like the way the game was officiated," coach Shawn Winter said.
"It didn't favor one team or the other, but it was called like a high
school game. But it came down to execution, and I'm not happy with how
we executed at the end of the game."

The Bluejays grabbed 12-2
and 17-7 leads out of the gate, and took a 23-9 advantage on a pair of
foul shots by Kirsten Watson. Jade Pihl led the Swedes back, drilling
among four first-half 3-pointers shots that made it 23-13 and 23-18. In
between, three Bluejays were called for fouls: Watson got her second at
9:52, Stephanie Silvas got her first 24 seconds later, and Chelsea
Malone picked up her third 10 seconds after that.?

Roni Whitman
prospered at the foul line, and her free throws made it 25-20, then
28-24. Cathy Wade made it 39-36 with 36 seconds left in the period.
Silvas was fouled with 0.4 seconds left in the frame, and gave Tabor a
44-38 entering the break.?

?The hideous parade of rapid-fire foul
calls continued through a start-and-stop second half. Katie Fast was
whistled for her second foul at 17:56, with Bethany's Rachelle Gaylord
getting rung up for her second 12 seconds later. Jordan Crosson was
called for her first at 17:25. Bethany's Hope Stieben was whistled at
16:53, and Wade picked up her third four seconds later.

Both
teams were shooting bonus free throws with 11:25? still to be played,
and both were in double-bonus territory by 8:13. A free throw by Joanna
Pyle gave Tabor a 63-53 lead at 8:55.

But the stretch run?choppy as it was?belonged to Bethany. The
Swedes outscored Tabor 26-14, tying the game at 67 on a 3-pointer by
Wade. After Watson broke the tie at the line, Stacie Herman put Tabor
in the driver's seat with a traditional 3-point play at Gaylord's
expense.

Pyle went to the line on Tabor's next trip, and the
Bluejays had a 72-67 lead on a 5-0 run. Wade hit a trey from right
wing, and Whitman knotted it at 72 by way of foul shots.

Gaylord
broke the tie with a free throw with 1:28 to go, and made it 75-72 with
two more foul shots at 1:11.? Jordan Crosson grabbed an offensive
rebound and scored? at the other end, but Gaylord pushed the Swede lead
to four points with 35 seconds to go.

Watson drained a 3-pointer,
making it 78-77 with 35 ticks remaining. But the Bluejays came up one
possession short as time ran out. Herman and Wade each scored 23 points
to lead their respective teams. Fast scored 13, and Jenny Gaskell
tallied 9 points.

More from Hillsboro Free Press
Brookens feels ready for his new challenge
You could call it State Legisla?ture 101. Bob Brookens, elected in November...
Read More