Fourth quarter dooms Cardinal girls in loss to Oskaloosa

For the second straight game, the Newton girls basketball team was outscored significantly in the fourth quarter.

The Cardinals got away with it during a win against Pella Christian last week, but Oskaloosa’s big final frame allowed the Indians to rally past their hosts on Friday night.

Newton led by three after one quarter and took a small advantage into the fourth, but Oskaloosa dominated the final period during a 47-33 victory in Little Hawkeye Conference action.

“We committed too many turnovers,” Newton head girls basketball coach Eric Vander Velden said. “We missed too many shots in the fourth quarter, too.”

The Cardinals (3-5 overall, 1-4 in the conference) were limited to 29 percent shooting on Alumni Night, and they hit 1-of-6 from 3-point range, made 8-of-10 from the free-throw line and turned the ball over 19 times.

Cadie Horn played the best game of her career, finishing with a career-best 18 points and adding eight rebounds and two blocks. She was 6-of-12 from the floor and 6-of-8 from the line.

Newton led 14-11 after one but Oskaloosa (4-5, 2-3) outscored the Cardinals 7-6 in the second and 6-5 in the third before blowing past the hosts 23-8 in the fourth.

Alex Garvis finished with five points, four rebounds and two assists and Sophia Reynolds added four points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals before fouling out.

Emily Wermager tallied three rebounds and three assists, Marissa Cunningham grabbed three rebounds and recorded two blocks, Haylie Ryan swiped two steals and Hailey Dickerson grabbed two boards.

Audrey Rausch dished out two assists in a limited role as she continues to play through a leg injury.

Oskaloosa shot only 28 percent from the floor but connected on four treys and was 13-of-20 from the line.

Presley Blommers came into the game averaging 18 points per game for Oskaloosa and she led the Indians with 17 points. She was 8-of-8 from the line, pulled down five rebounds and swiped six steals.

Dasia Foster, a 6-foot-3 sophomore who averages 13.4 points per game, was limited to nine but also grabbed 13 rebounds.

“We changed defenses a lot to play against Foster, but we mostly played man-to-man in the fourth,” Vander Velden said.

Reynolds picked up her third foul in the third quarter and was whistled for her fourth with three minutes left in the third. She fouled out with 4:30 to go in the game.

“Alex Riney came into the game for Reynolds and had no turnovers down the stretch,” Vander Velden said. “She did a nice job taking care of the ball.”