From left to right, Seymour’s Grace Schrader, Greer Henry and Brooke Trinkle defend against Floyd Central on Thursday night at home.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
Seymour’s Grace Schrader makes a floater against Floyd Central on Thursday night at home.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
Seymour’s Greer Henry shoots a floater against Floyd Central on Thursday night at home.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
Seymour’s Kendall Sterling drives to the hoop against Floyd Central on Thursday night at home.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
The Seymour girls basketball team outscored Floyd Central 15-10 in the fourth quarter and posted a 49-40 Hoosier Hills Conference win Thursday night in the Lloyd E. Scott Gymnasium.
It was a low scoring, grind-it-out battle between the two conference foes.
The Owls held a 34-30 lead entering the fourth quarter and increased their lead to 37-30 on a 3-point play by Kendall Sterling at the 6:37-mark and the closest the Highlanders came after that was five points.
Sterling had a strong fourth quarter with a basket and 7-for-9 at the line for nine points, plus she had seven rebounds in the fourth.
She topped the Owls with 17 points and to go along with 15 big rebounds.
Head coach Jason Longmeier said the two keys for his team was to be able to withstand Floyd’s man-to-man pressure defense, and to contain the Highlanders’ 1-2 scoring punch of Keegan Kaiser and Kendall Brown.
The Owls had nine turnovers going into the fourth period, and finished with 15.
Kaiser topped the visitors in scoring with 18 points with five of those coming at the line. Brown did not score, thanks to a solid defensive job from the Owls.
Longmeier said it was good to have regulars Grace Schrader and Brooke Trinkle back in the lineup as Schrader injured her back last Saturday against Madison, and missed Tuesday’s game at Columbus North, and Trinkle missed the past two games with a neck injury.
It was a big to have those two key contributors back as they combined for 12 points and 10 rebounds against Floyd Central.
Both teams struggled offensively in the first period as the Owls made only one field goal and the Highlanders made two resulting in a 5-4 Seymour lead.
Kendall Sterling made two 3-pointers and Kendrick Sterling made one 3-pointer in the second period when the Owls extended their lead to 22-17 at the half.
The Owls made 15 of 19 free throws to 6 for 8 for Floyd Central, and the Owls held a 40-28 advantage in rebounds as Greer Henry had 9 rebounds.
Seymour improved to 1-2 in the HHC and broke a 4-game losing streak. The Owls (6-6) will travel to Southport on Tuesday afternoon, looking to continue the momentum built up in Thursday’s contest.