Defending 3A champs stop Burlington Central

MANLIUS - For as much as Burlington Central's girls basketball team has won during the postseason with defense, so too has defending state champion Morton.

So it was obvious from the get-go Monday night that the Class 3A Bureau Valley supersectional contest between the Rockets and Potters would be a low-scoring affair - and it was.

But in the end it was an offensive play by Morton junior Brandi Bipsing that made the difference in Morton's 34-29 win.

BC senior Kayla Ross had just driven the lane and made a layup to tie the game at 27-27 with 2:06 to play, and she was fouled. But her free throw attempt that would have given the Rockets the lead for the first time since early in the second quarter rimmed out, and Bipsing grabbed the rebound.

Morton set up a play for its 5-foot-11 standout on the other end and she delivered, driving the left side of the lane for a layup, on which she was fouled. Bipsing, who finished with a game-high 13 points, made the ensuing free throw to give the Potters a 30-27 lead.

Even though the Rockets were able to close to within 30-29 with 58 seconds left on a Shelby Holt putback, they couldn't get an open look for a 3-pointer and Morton went 4-for-4 from the free throw line down the stretch to ice the win.

"(Bipsing) wanted the ball and she got a 3-point play out of it," said BC coach Mark Smith. "That was rough. They're a darn good team and we're a darn good team. They were more physical than we thought, but that second half was just outstanding. We had the opportunity to take the lead and that's what we wanted. But (Bipsing's) will to win is outstanding. I thought (Samantha) Cruz and Ross did a great job on her for the most part but she was probably the difference tonight."

Morton (31-3) will take on No. 2 Morgan Park at 1:45 p.m. Friday in the state semifinals at Redbird Arena in Normal. Burlington Central finishes the season 26-5 and a four-year run with its five senior starters at 105-20.

After a 9-9 tie at the end of the first quarter, Morton surged ahead 17-13 at halftime as the Rockets made just 1 of 5 shots in the second quarter and 5 of 16 for the first half.

Bipsing scored to open the third quarter but then senior Sam Pryor (9 points) hit a 3-pointer with 4:08 left in the period that gave the Rockets some life.

Morton led 24-23 going into the fourth quarter and BC finally forged a 25-25 tie when senior Becca Gerke (8 points, 5 rebounds) hit a free-throw line jumper with 5:30 left to play. But Morton freshman Tenley Dowell made 2 free throws at 3:52 to keep the Potters ahead and set up the stretch run.

"That's an incredibly competitive team," said Morton coach Bob Becker of the Rockets. "We had to do everything we could to gut it out. That could have gone either way. That's just a really good team but I'm so proud of our kids to be going back to Redbird."

Jadison Wharram added 11 points for the Potters, who were 11 of 28 from the field and 12 of 15 from the free throw line. Holt led the Rockets with 10 points, but BC only went 2 of 5 from the line.

"I'm sad but not devastated like last year," said the Western Illinois-bound Pryor, referring to BC's regional final upset loss last year. "This team had a really good run and I'm so grateful to have spent four years playing with this group of girls."

Added Smith of the past four years: "It's never going to be repeated unless you're a parochial school and you recruit kids. It's just a phenomenal group of kids and their best basketball is ahead of them in college. We'll just take the next few days and sit back and reflect but we sure are going to miss these kids."