South Shelby swept Cairo at home Tuesday.
For the second time this season, four quarters wasn’t enough to decide a contest between the two girls teams.
Belle Roush came up big in the overtime period to help lead South Shelby to a 56-47 win.
Callie McWilliams had a game-high 22 points and hit her 1000th career point in OT.
The Ladybirds led 11-5 after one quarter before Cairo responded with an 18-10 second quarter to take a 23-21 halftime lead. There were six ties and four lead changes in the second half. South’s Hannah Gaines hit two threes in the third quarter and finished with 12 points. Avery Brumley gave Cairo a late lead.
Free throws played a crucial role down the stretch. Trailing by one with under 30 seconds left, South Shelby missed three straight. Cairo missed the back end of a bonus to keep South’s deficit at two, then Charlie Roush was fouled on a shot with 0.3 seconds remaining. She canned both to send it to overtime.
12-6 Cairo was led by Avery Brumley with 16 points. Olivia Cross had 12 and Mallori Hankins 10. South Shelby moves to 18-1.
The South boys pulled off a 73-51 win despite being held to just two points in the opening quarter and leading by four at half. Gabe Bowen was a major contributor for the Cardinals off the bench in getting back in it.
Bowen ended with 13 points. Preston Elsen concluded with 17 and Noah Wilt contributed 12. Cairo’s Zander Holman scored a game-high 20. South Shelby created distance by winning the third quarter 15-3. The win is the sixth straight for the 11-8 Cardinals and redeems a loss to Cairo at the Salisbury Tournament earlier this month. The Bearcats fall to 12-7.
Freeman Financial and Insurance Outstanding Players of the Game
Girls- Callie McWilliams
Boys- Gabe Bowen
South Shelby girls coach Luke O’Laughlin Postgame:
South Shelby boys coach Kent O’Laughlin Postgame:
Cairo girls and boys coach Brian Winkler Postgame:
