INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The road may have stopped short of the destination, but it was about the journey for the Union City girls basketball team.
“It’s definitely a way to go out,” Union City senior Kora Kerns said. “We made it to the highest stage possible. I’m glad that’s how I get to finish my basketball career.”
The No. 8 Indians dream season ended on Saturday with a 68-43 loss to top-ranked Wood Memorial in the IHSAA Class 1A state championship game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
“It’s a great accomplishment to just be here for these ladies to be able to say that they played in the state finals,” Union City coach Sarah Black said. “There’s a lot of people who don’t get that opportunity.”
“They played hard and they did what they could,” Black continued. “Some things didn’t go our way, but we’re not going to hang our heads. It’s pretty great to be here.”
In addition to Kerns, it was the final game for Baylee Hartman, Courtney Wise and Kelsey Zimmers.
“These seniors were seventh graders when I started,” Black said. “I’ve watched them grow to this level. They’ve put in a lot of work to get here. It didn’t come easy.”
It also wasn’t easy on Saturday for the Indians, who were out rebounded 46-23.
“They had twice as many rebounds and that makes a big difference,” Black said. “We didn’t rebound and crash the boards as well as we can. That hurt us, especially late in the game.”
Wood Memorial led 14-12 after the first quarter and then the Trojans held a 33-25 advantage by the intermission.
“We had talked a lot about the keys for us would be rebounding a defense,” Wood Memorial coach Johnnie Bartley said. “That’s what got us through. Our defense set the tone. I never really had a whole lot of doubts about the intensity we would play with.”
In the third period, Indians were able to stay close, but in the final stanza they didn’t score after the 6:30 mark when Justiss Cantu closed the gap to 50-43.
Wise picking up her third foul changed the dynamic for the Trojans.
“It really changed who we were keying on and we wanted to keep Cantu boxed in,” Bartley said.
Cantu was the only Union City player in double figures with 18 points.
Zimmers and Ellie Kerns finished with eight points each. Wise had seven. Hartman led the squad with six rebounds.
Brenna Maikranz, who was named the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award winner, led the Trojans with 26 points.
Box Score
UNION CITY (24-5) – Justiss Cantu 8 0-1 18, Kora Kerns 0 0-0 0, Courtney Wise 3 1-2 7, Kelsey Zimmers 2 3-3 8, Baylee Hartman 1 0-0 2, Ellie Kerns 3 2-2 8, Mackenzie Green 0 0-0 0, Kahlee Dowler 0 0-0 0, Sophia Spence 0 0-0 0, Reagan Hoggatt 0 0-0 0, Kelsie Burton 0 0-2 0, Luzy Corona 0 0-0 0. Team – 17 6-10 43.
WOOD MEMORIAL (28-1) – Carsen Robinson 5 5-6 16, Lexi Lashbrook 3 1-4 7, Sydney Day 4 2-2 8, Chloe Bartley 1 6-6 8, Brenna Maikranz 8 10-14 26, Jenna McGowan 0 0-0 0, Sydney Lamar 0 0-0 0, Morgan Loveless 0 0-0 0, Kennedy Wilkerson 0 0-0 0, Katie Thacker 0 0-0 0, Chloe Mowery 0 1-2 1, Makayla Stocker 0 0-0 0. Team – 21 25-34 68.
Union City 12 25 36 43
Wood Memorial 14 33 46 68
3-pointers – Union City 3 (Cantu 2, Zimmers), Wood Memorial 1 (Robinson). Rebounds – Union City 23 (Hartman 6), Wood Memorial 46 (Lashbrook 12, Bartley 10). Turnovers – Union City 17, Wood Memorial 11. Fouls – Union City 24, Wood Memorial 10. Fouled out – K. Kerns, E. Kerns.