Southwestern kept high-scoring Bethesda Christian freshman Kenzie Fulks in check and hit just enough shots to advance in its first regional appearance in eight years.

Trinity Tatlock scored a team-high 16 points and pulled down eight rebounds to lead Southwestern to a 38-31 win Saturday morning in the first semifinal game of the Class A girls basketball regional.

 A 6-0 run by the Patriots (16-7) to close out the third quarter cut Southwestern’s lead to 31-28 and a 3-pointer by Paige Vawter diminished the lead to two early in the fourth quarter. That was as close as the Patriots got, though, with a roster featuring six freshmen.

Fulks finished with 18 points (eight below her season average), two rebounds and two steals in her first sectional appearance.

“She was the whole key to today’s game,” said Southwestern coach Garrett Krieg. “She is an extremely good player. We did a good job building a wall around the paint (to keep her out).”

Tyson Conrady photo

Southwestern coach Garrett Krieg led the Spartans to their first sectional title and regional appearance since 2013.

Fulks, the younger sister of Maddi Fulks, who is the school’s career scoring leader (1,947 points), was 5-for-19 from the field and was held scoreless over the final eight minutes.

Southwestern should have had the advantage playing on its home floor but the Spartans struggled to hit shots (32% from the field in the first half; 21% from the 3-point line).

Krieg’s adjustment was to attack the rim in the second half.

“Our patience was really good,” he said, “but we couldn’t keep shooting (3s). We were open for a reason. And every time we drove (the lane) we were getting good looks. We knew we could get good looks (from outside) but I wanted great looks.”

Leading 20-19 at halftime, Southwestern scored the first seven points of the third quarter with baskets in the low post and at the free-throw line.

The lead grew to 31-22 before Fulks produced back-to-back 3-point plays to close the quarter.

Tatlock hit a pair of free throws to open the fourth quarter ahead of Vawter’s trifecta. Lily Kerber scored to extend the Spartans’ lead to 35-31 and Tatlock iced the win with a score in the lane and a late free throw.

The Spartans (18-7) shot just 32% from the field for the game and were 3-of-19 from the 3-point line. Still, it was enough to secure a regional championship game appearance for four seniors on their home floor.

“That motivated us even before the sectional,” said Tatlock, a senior forward. “That’s what we wanted in the sectional … we wanted to play on this floor again.”

Greenwood Christian 54, Bloomfield 43

Izzy Reed scored 9 of her team-high 21 points in the second quarter to help the Cougars take one step closer to repeating as regional champions.

Reed, Johnson County’s career scoring leader in girls basketball and the state of Indiana’s career rebounding leader, was backed by 10 points each from Savvanah Frye and Brooklyn Stubblefield and eight points from Elizabeth Bigelow.

Kylee Shelton topped Bloomfield with 23 points.

Southwestern 38, Bethesda Christian 31

BC: Fulks 5-19 7-7 18, Dodson 1-2 0-0 3, Gross 0-0 0-0 0, Goodin 1-6 0-0 2, Vawter 3-10 0-0 8, Heim 0-0 0-0 0, Lovins 0-0 0-0 0, Tabler 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 10-37 7-7 31.

SW: Ab. Muck 3-7 1-1 7, Kerber 2-6 1-5 5, Wilkins 2-10 0-0 6, Ma. Correll 1-8 2-2 4, Tatlock 6-12 3-6 16, Pile 0-0 0-0 0, Mc. Correll 0-0 0-0 0, Al. Muck 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 14-44 7-14 38.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

BC (16-7)    8  11   9   3  --  31

SW (18-7)  13   7  11   7  --  38

Three-point field goals: BC 4-15 (Fulks 1-4, Dodson 1-2, Goodin 0-2, Vawter 2-7), SW 3-19 (Kerber 0-1, Wilkins 2-10, Ma. Correll 0-4, Tatlock 1-4). Rebounds: BC 22 (Fulks 2, Dodson 4, Gross 6, Goodin 5, Vawter 3, Heim 1, Lovins 1), SW 32 (Ab. Muck 7, Kerber 3, Wilkins 4, Ma. Correll 6, Tatlock 8, Pile 1, Mc. Correll 3). Assists: BC 2 (Fulks 1, Vawter 1), SW 6 (Ab. Muck 2, Kerber 1, Wilkins 3. Steals: BC 2 (Fulks 2), SW 5 (Ab. Muck 3, Tatlock 2). Blocks: BC 2 (Goodin 2), SW 2 (Kerber 1, Wilkins 1). Totals fouls: BC 16, SW 7. Fouled out: Goodin (BC). Turnovers: BC 15, SW 11.

Greenwood Christian 54, Bloomfield 43

GC: Bigelow 4 0-0 8, Reed 6 10-12 21, Stubblefield 2 4-4 10, O’Dell 2 0-0 4, Frye 3 3-5 10, Simon 0 1-2 1. Totals: 17 18-23 54.

BL: Moody 2 0-0 4, Bucher 3 1-2 8, Lowry 3 0-0 6, Shelton 8 2-4 23, Godoy 1 0-0 2. Totals: 17 3-6 43.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

GC (13-6)  12  17  12  13 -- 54

BL (12-9)    9  12  11  11 --  43

3-point field goals: GC 3 (Stubblefield 2, Frye 1), BL 6 (Shelton 5, Bucher 1).