Aside from a three-minute stretch early in the third quarter, Fatima played very well on Saturday to defeat Monroe County to earn the South Callaway tournament championship, 48-41.

“We expected a tough matchup,” said Coach Matt Baker. “They have some quick and athletic players, probably the most athletic small school we’ve seen this year. They’ve been ranked in Class 3, so we knew it would be a battle.”

Fatima was ranked eighth in Class 4 last week and put in a championship performance as the Lady Comets withstood a late push by the Lady Wildcats, who cut the lead to three.

“We hit a few big shots late that kept us ahead, but it seemed like we’d go up six or seven, and they’d make a little run,” said Baker. “They’re not used to losing, but they kept fighting, as did we.”

Emma Bower hit two three-pointers, one late in the fourth to give Fatima some breathing room, and Kristen Robertson, Kaitlyn Plassmeyer, Alli Robertson (All-Tournament), and Vivian Bax (All-Tournament) each hit one as Fatima went 6-17 on the day.

“This was a team win,” said Baker. “Everyone played their role well.”

Fatima went 12-15 at the FT line and shot 39.5% from the floor.

A. Robertson led with 21 points, including a 6-6 mark at the stripe, as Bax put in seven, and Bower scored six, followed by KP (5), K. Robertson (4), Lucy Crede, and Lydia Brunnert (2 each), and tournament MVP Ellie Brune (1). Bax posted a team-high four assists as KP and A. Robertson dished it thrice and K. Robertson once.

A. Robertson posted a team-high eight rebounds, followed by Brune (4), K. Robertson and KP (3 each), and Alex Berhorst, Bax, Crede, and Brunnert (2 apiece).

With two steals to her credit, A. Robertson also had Fatima’s lone block. Bax added two steals, and KP had another.

In a rematch against Linn in the semifinals on Wednesday, Fatima pulled out a 60-56 win.

Linn hit hard fast, jumping to a 13-1 lead to start the game, but Fatima recovered, and the first quarter ended with the Lady Cats in possession of a 20-15 lead.

After an 11-10 second quarter, Linn led 31-25, but the third was a different story as Fatima surged with a 20-11 advantage. In the fourth, the Lady Comets used a 15-14 edge to pull out the win.

Brune hit five three-pointers in succession to keep Fatima in the game as she finished with six.

“Ellie got hot,” said Baker. “She’s a huge part of what we do. When she does well, the team follows suit.”

Brune scored a game-high 23; she went 5-6 at the line.

Bax added 11, Bower added seven, A. Robertson scored six, all from the stripe (6-8), Crede put in five, and Claire Bexten, K. Robertson, Berhorst, and Brunnert finished with two apiece.

A. Robertson paced the team with four assists, and KP, Bax, and Crede each had two.

On the glass, A. Robertson posted 14 rebounds as Brune collected six, Bax had four, Crede added two, and Berhorst recorded one.

A. Robertson also led the defense with four steals and a block. Bexten and Berhorst collected two steals each, and Bower, KP, Brune, Bax, and Crede finished with one apiece.

“Linn handled our 2-2-1 press well, and we missed several layups early in the game,” said Baker. “It wasn’t a good start, but the girls didn’t get rattled. I’m proud of the way they handled it.”

Fatima switched to a 1-3-1 press, which allowed the Lady Comets to get back into the game. “Linn played very well and made adjustments from our first meeting,” said Baker. “They gave us all we could handle.”

Last Monday’s opener was a blowout as Fatima defeated the host Lady Bulldogs 75-17. Fatima outscored SC 55-6 in the first half.

Virtually every player on the roster scored, led by Brune and Bax, each of whom posted 12. Brune had three treys, and Bax added two.

Berhorst (trey) added 11, Payton Wieberg scored 10, Crede (trey) posted nine, Bexten had seven, K. Robertson (2 threes) added six, A. Robertson put in four, and Brunnert and Bower finished with two apiece.

Berhorst counted seven assists to go with six from K. Robertson, followed by Bexten (3), Bax (2), and Bower, Brune, Crede, Brunnert, Wieberg, and Madelyn Backes (1 each).

Brune and Brunnert co-led the team with five rebounds apiece as Wieberg snagged four, followed by Berhorst and K. Robertson (3 each), Bower and Bax (2 apiece), and Bexten and A. Robertson (1 each).

Bexten was busy on defense with a team-high four steals, while K. Robertson, Brunnert, Backes, Crede, and Brune snatched three each, Bax added two, and Bower had one.

Fatima counted four blocks in the game: Bower, Berhorst, Backes, and Brunnert.