The Falcons' Jacie Lucas runs into resistance from the Panthers' (l-r) Christina Proulx, Kelsye Mielke and Alli Collier.
SSC's Alli Collier looks to the hoop for two points during the Panthers' road victory over Ogemaw Heights.
Linda Eyer
SSC's Alyssa White defends Ogemaw's Jordan Foster during Thursday's contest.

OGEMAW HEIGHTS - Jan. 24, 2008 - The first time Ogemaw Heights' and Standish-Sterling's girls basketball teams met, the two squad combined to shoot 73 free throws, including 56 for SSC.

The trips to the line were more balanced this time around, with SSC making 49 trips to the line to the Falcons' 21.

The overall result was almost identical as well, with Standish-Sterling taking a 73-69 victory that kept the Panthers alive in the NEMC title chase and realistically ended the Falcons' slim hopes.

"We're giving up way to many points, but give credit to Ogemaw," said SSC coach Kevin King. "They really battled. They came at us hard, but our young kids responded well."

The Panthers found themselves in a big fix early in the second half after an early spate of fouls, including a technical, left SSC without the services of starters Alyssa White, Kayla Hilyard and Lindsay Nelson.

"At one point we had three freshmen and a sophomore in the game," King said. "They really weathered the storm. Heather Robinson had her best game, handled the ball well, played good defense and had eight huge second-half points."

Freshman Alli Collier, the other starter who was able to stay on the floor through the second half, also played a solid game and hit a key free throw in the final seconds that gave the Falcons a four-point lead.

Despite the Panthers' foul troubles, they still doubled Ogemaw's free throw attempts.

"My kids are playing hard," said Falcon coach Tim Hansen. "Now they have to work on playing smart. Too many things that we work on, work on and work on in practice are not being carried over into the games yet... If we can move one step earlier, that is going to fix a heck of a lot of our problems.

"It will put us in better defensive position so that we don't foul as much, it will put us in better rebounding position so we can bet a board once in a while, and it will put us closer to the loose balls that we seem to be about a foot away from getting all the time."

Even with those issues, the Falcons once again gave the Panthers fits.

"They played very well," King said. "We've had a tough time matching up with Ogemaw. They take ito the basket and we don't defend their high pick-and-rolls as well as I'd like."

For all their dependence on underclassmen in the game, it was a senior that made many of the key plays down the stretch. Lindsay Nelson scored 23 points, pulled down eight rebounds and was 11-of-14 from the free throw line, including 4-of-4 in the final minutes, to secure the win.

"She played like an experienced veteran that wanted to win the game," King said.

White finished with 14 points, Collier 11 and Robinson 10 to lead the Panthers (9-6, 5-2 NEMC).

Ashley Thompson poured in 20 points for the Falcons (6-7, 4-3), including 6-of-6 at the line, while Keshia Allen added 13 and Colleen Wren had 12.

The game's other casualty was the suit, tie and long pants that Hansen agreed to wear after his team won three straight. The Ogemaw coach prefers shorts and short sleeves.

"(They) get shelved," Hansen said. "Until the girls win two in a row."