Popejoy scores 14, but Winamac’s season ends on late Knox 3-pointer

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Sadie Popejoy

Girls basketball

Knox 36, Winamac 34 (Tuesday): Sadie Popejoy hit three 3-pointers and scored 14 points, but Knox’s Portland Minix hit a late 3-pointer to give the Lady Redskins a win over Winamac in a Class 2A, Sectional 34 quarterfinal at Knox Tuesday.

Kaelyn O’Connor had eight points, and Kandace Kroft and Mershai Loehmer added six each for Winamac, who finished 14-10. Kroft scored all four of Winamac’s points in the fourth quarter.

Winamac junior post player Marissa Iverson missed the game with a lower body injury. Winamac played with five players.

Winamac led 22-18 at halftime but had only one field goal in the second half.

Riley Taylor led Knox (5-18) with 15 points. Rose Webb added seven, and Serenity Nava had five, including a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. Knox came into the sectional on a six-game losing streak.

Winamac lost despite making more free throws (11) than Knox attempted (7).

Knox avenged a 47-35 loss to Winamac on Jan. 7 in their regular season meeting.

Knox will play South Bend Career Academy at 8 p.m. Eastern Friday in the semifinals.

In Tuesday’s first quarterfinal, Bremen routed Jimtown 53-16. Bremen will face LaVille in the first semifinal at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Friday.

KNOX (36) (5-18)

Nava 2 0-0 5, Messer 0 0-0 0, Jordan 2 0-0 4, Webb 3 1-1 7, Taylor 4 5-6 15, Wolff 0 0-0 0, Minix 1 0-0 3, Stone 1 0-0 2

TEAM: 13 6-7 36

WINAMAC (34) (14-10)

Maggie Keller 0 0-2 0, Kandace Kroft 1 4-6 6, Sadie Popejoy 4 3-6 14, Mershai Loehmer 2 2-2 6, Kaelyn O’Connor 3 2-2 8

TEAM: 10 11-16 34

Three-point field goals:

Knox 4 (Taylor 2, Nava, Minix),

Winamac 3 (Popejoy 3)

Total fouls: Knox 18, Winamac 13

Score by quarters

Knox 9 9 11 7 – 36

Winamac 8 14 8 4 – 34