Bishop Gorman girls survive in tournament

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Feb. 25, 1999 | 11:07 a.m.

RENO -- Throughout the 1990s, the Lawlor Events Center has been an unfriendly confine for Southern Nevada girls basketball squads.

Not only have Las Vegas-area schools failed to produce a title during the current decade, but even appearances in the second round have become rarities, with southern teams going a combined 1-8 in 1997 and '98.

On Wednesday, all that history nearly reversed itself, as not one, not two, but three south clubs played to the brink of a berth in today's final four.

Just when things were looking up for the locals, however, the Lawlor Jinx reared its head once more, sending Las Vegas High and Silverado packing in heartbreaking fashion by a combined three points and allowing only one Southern Nevada team -- Bishop Gorman -- to advance.

With Basic losing to three-time defending champion McQueen as expected, the south finished round one with another disappointing 1-3 record, with hopes for the first Las Vegas school title since 1980 dwindling by the minute.

"(The northern teams) are still a step ahead of us," Silverado coach Diane Hernandez said. "They've got the experience when it comes to the state tournament."

Unlike its peers, Gorman (28-4) was able to draw on past experience, putting last year's crushing semifinal loss to Elko behind it to excise its own Lawlor demons and stay in the hunt.

"I think it's anybody's game from here on," Gaels coach Sheryl Krympotich said. "At tournament time you never know who is going to step up. I think any team can be beaten on any given day."

* ELKO 65, LAS VEGAS 64: As they did last year against Gorman, the Indians rallied from a significant second-half deficit to send the Wildcats off the court in tears.

Playing the same type of basketball that helped them reach last weekend's Southern Zone finals, Las Vegas (21-8) raced to a 15-point lead midway through the third quarter.

But when Wildcat point guard Kristine Dugan fouled out early in the fourth and Elko (19-11) shooter Krystal Thacker began to heat up, the roof caved in on Las Vegas.

Thacker, who wound up with a game-high 28 points, led a furious Indians' comeback with five second-half 3-pointers, eventually giving her club a 63-62 lead with 29 seconds remaining.

Guard Jasmere Kirby (20 points) answered with a runner at the other end to put Las Vegas up by a point with 14 ticks on the clock. But Thacker drew a foul away from the basket and sank both free throws to put Elko back in front. Kirby's desperation 3-pointer bounced off the back of the rim as the buzzer sounded, sending the Wildcats to the floor in agony.

Wildcat senior Lillie Williams finished her high school career with a strong 12-point, 17-rebound effort, but missed 8-of-11 free throw attempts, including two critical tries late in the fourth quarter.

* BISHOP GORMAN 49, GALENA 41: The Gaels shook off a horrible start that saw the Grizzlies run out to a 16-3 advantage.

"We come out sometimes either not focused or scared," Krympotich said. "I told them, 'You've just got to play.' "

Gorman did just that over the final three quarters, riding the inside play of senior Paige Sutton (18 points, 10 rebounds) and a crucial fourth-quarter 3-pointer by Anne Sostman (10 points, four steals) to victory.

"We didn't perform to our capabilities, but we could have put our head between our legs and crawled away," Krympotich said. "That shows what we're about."

The Gaels take on Carson (20-11) in today's first semifinal game at 3:20 p.m. The winner will face either McQueen or Elko in Friday's championship.

* CARSON 56, SILVERADO 54 (OT): As Las Vegas before them, poor free throw shooting proved to be the Skyhawks' undoing. The Southern Zone champs missed four critical foul shots in the extra session.

"We've talked about it all season, " Skyhawks coach Diane Hernandez said. "Our free throw percentage just wasn't where we wanted it to be."

Silverado (26-6) nearly won the game in regulation, building a pair of three-point leads late in the fourth quarter. But Carson post players Pam Williams (17 points) and Alyson Thurman (24 points) answered every challenge to force overtime.

Once there, the Skyhawks' troubles at the line surfaced, as sophomores Jayme Connors (19 points) and Nikki Hitchens (18 points) each came up empty on two attempts to allow the Senators to stay in front.

Connors atoned for her misses with 22 seconds to play, converting a 3-point play to bring Silverado within a point. But Stormy Hanson's desperation shot at the buzzer didn't find its mark.

"There were times I felt we had control, but weren't consistent for four quarters," Hernandez said. "And you have to be consistent in the state tournament."

* MCQUEEN 64, BASIC 36: The three-time defending champion Lancers were too much for the Wolves (19-8), who lost despite a yeoman-like 28 points from sophomore Jennifer Kline.

McQueen (25-6) went up 22-5 after one quarter and cruised from there, getting 17 points from center Kate Smith and 10 points from guard Courtney Moore.