Cedar Rapids Prairie girls’ basketball’s final, frantic push falls just short against Muscatine

CEDAR RAPIDS — They’re young, really young. And they looked it.

With a roster filled with underclassmen, Cedar Rapids Prairie made a late push, but fell short in its girls’ basketball season opener with Muscatine, 39-36, Tuesday night at Prairie High School.

“Once we learn to play together, I hope this is a team that knows who we are,” Coach Josh Bentley said.

“We played a lot of young kids, and we did a lot of little things tonight that will get you beat.”

Muscatine (1-0) made a winner out of new coach John McBride in his debut. The Muskies made a 12-0 second-half run stick, barely.

Trailing 37-27 with three minutes to play, Prairie scrambled back into it and fell just short.

Kamryn Grissel had three baskets in the Hawks’ final, frantic push. Her turnaround basket made it 37-34 with 24 seconds left. Catie Reittinger’s layup with 0:06 remaining made it a one-point game, then Grace Bode’s two free throws extended the margin to 39-36, and all the Hawks could get was a half-court heave at the horn that was off the mark.

Grissel led all scorers with 11 points. She is the lone senior on the roster, along with three juniors (one of whom played Tuesday).

“I kind of feel like the mom,” Grissel said. “I’m supposed to be a big leader. I try to help wherever I can, know what defense we’re in.

“There was a stretch (when Muscatine made its run) in which we were really confused on defense. People were kind of doing different things.”

Three sophomores started for Prairie, along with freshman Nevaeh Diaz-Doolin (who posted six points and seven rebounds).

Reittinger scored nine points.

Muscatine won despite shooting 22 percent from the field (10 of 45). The Muskies spotted Prairie the first eight points, then rallied to tie it, 15-15, at halftime.

The Hawks led 22-18 before the Muskies’ game-changing surge.

Karly Ricketts and Meredith Connor paced the winners with eight points apiece.

Muscatine 39, Cedar Rapids Prairie 36

AT C.R. PRAIRIE

MUSCATINE (39): Karly Ricketts 3-9 0-3 8, Grace Bode 0-4 4-5 4, Ashlyn McGinnis 0-4 2-2 2, Mya Jansen 1-7 1-2 4, Jazmeriah Jones 2-8 3-5 7, Meredith Connor 2-8 2-4 8, Ella Schroeder 0-0 1-2 1, Taylor Green 0-0 0-0 0, Becca Haag 0-3 0-0 0, Avery Schroeder 2-2 0-0 5. Totals 10-45 13-23 39.

C.R. PRAIRIE (36): Catie Reittinger 4-10 1-4 9, Ella Nove 0-2 2-4 2, Kamryn Grissel 4-7 3-4 11, Nevaeh Diaz-Doolin 1-4 3-4 6, McKenna Murray 0-5 0-1 0, Anna Barnes 3-4 0-0 6, Ava Van Voorst 1-7 0-2 2, Megan Mallicoat 0-1 0-0 0, Emma Keiper 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 13-42 9-19 36.

Muscatine 4 11 12 12 — 39

C.R. Prairie 8 7 7 14 — 36

3-point goals: Muscatine 6-24 (Ricketts 2-4, Bode 0-3, McGinnis 0-2, Jansen 1-6, Jones 0-3, Connor 2-3, Haag 0-2, A. Schroeder 1-1), Prairie 1-16 (Reittinger 0-3, Nove 0-1, Diaz-Doolin 1-2, Murray 0-3, Van Voorst 0-6, Keiper 0-1). Team fouls: Muscatine 14, Prairie 21. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Muscatine 34 (Jones, Haag 6), Prairie 39 (Diaz-Doolin 7). Assists: Muscatine 9 (Bode 6), Prairie 3 (three with 1). Steals: Muscatine 12 (McGinnis 3), Prairie 8 (Nove, Diaz-Doolin, Murray 2). Turnovers: Muscatine 16, Prairie 19.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com