RENSSELAER | The point guard for the defending state champion bore down.
Griffith sophomore Sam Marker hiked up her shorts, crouched into a defensive stance and gave an icy glare.
Defiant? Yes, Griffith was. Successful? No.
Despite an early unflinching display of toughness and a late run to get the deficit into single digits, the Panthers' one-point second quarter cost them a 46-37 loss to Plymouth on Saturday at the Class 3A Rensselaer Regional.
The other local Panthers, Roosevelt, fell 62-34 to top-ranked Benton Central in the day's second semifinal, completing an 0-for-5 morning that left the Region without a regional champion for the fourth consecutive season.
Between a first-quarter Presley Corich 3-pointer that put Griffith up 9-7 and a third-quarter Lauren Hansen layup, Griffith (16-7) went exactly 13 minutes without a field goal. The Pilgrims (20-4) outscored the Panthers 23-1 during the drought, including 14-1 in the second period.
"Things we thought would work against them just didn't. We had to make some adjustments, and it took a while," Griffith coach Tom Golumbeck said. "We got impatient, panicked a little and tried to force some things and made some turnovers."
Junior Shanlynn Bias led the Panthers with 14 points, but the team's No. 1 offensive threat was on the bench with foul trouble at critical junctures.
"(They were) dumb mistakes," Bias said. "I shouldn't have done that. You do things you wish you didn't do."
Plymouth's Elizabeth Smith, an unsigned 6-foot-1 senior with range, converted a trio of three-point plays and had 11 of her game-high 16 points during Griffith's dry spell. She finished 8-for-9 from the free-throw line and had three steals and a pair of blocks.
Roosevelt was fearless as well, turning a 12-4 deficit into a 21-all tie right before halftime.
B.C. (23-1) led 23-21 at the break but outscored Roosevelt 19-2 in the third -- 39-13 for the half -- and cruised.
TatiAnna Washington had 14 points -- all in the first half -- in her swan song for the Panthers (15-7).
"This kid had a great career at Gary Roosevelt," Roosevelt coach Melonie Martin said. "I feel blessed just to be here with her at this time. Coaches don't get chances like this every day."
Valparaiso University recruit Skyler Gick had 11 points and five assists for the Bison. Hillary Moore had 25 points and 16 boards.
"Our lack of experience and poise showed in the second half," Martin said. "More than anything, we hurt Gary Roosevelt. We hurt ourselves."
