ADAMS TOWNSHIP – A fast start and strong free throw shooting in the fourth quarter propelled Clinton-Massie to a 49-31 win Saturday over East Clinton in South Central Ohio League play at the Lebanon Road gym.
“I thought today we came out with the attitude that we aren’t going to lose on our home court,” CM coach Tim McGraw said. “We lost 12 games in a row, they beat us at their place last time, which was the first time in years and I think the girls took that to heart.”
The loss brings the Astros record to 7-15 while the Falcons move to 6-16. Both teams are 2-12 in SCOL action.
Johanna Theetge led the Falcons with 11 points. Faith Cottrell had nine points and Savannah Myers had eight.
Kaitlin Durbin led the Astros with 11 points, Sierra Christian had eight and Mackenzie Campbell had four.
“We didn’t execute hardly at all today and I think that really hurt us,” said East Clinton head coach Steven Gerber.Clinton
Massie came out ready to play in the first quarter, scoring 10 of the first 12 points. The Astros were only able to score one more basket as the Falcons continued the push and went into the second period with an 18-4 advantage. The Theetge, Cottrell and Myers trio had four points each in the opening quarter.
“I thought Emily Ireland’s defense on the ball was sensational and it really took them out of the things that they wanted to do,” said CM’s McGraw.
The Astros had a better quarter in the second, outscoring the Falcons 6-3, but it was still 21-10 Clinton-Massie as they headed to the third period.
East Clinton began to claw its way back in the third, though. With Durbin scoring five for EC in the period, the Astros cut the difference to six. But, a rally late in the quarter allowed the Falcons to keep a 9 point advantage going into the fourth.
“They made a little run on us but the girls answered and handled things the way that they should,” said coach McGraw.
With East Clinton still battling in the fourth, Clinton-Massie put the game away at the free throw line. The Falcons were 15 for 22 at the line in the final period with Theetge and Ireland both making four from the charity stripe
“They’re a good team,” said Gerber. “They struggled a little bit and they played the same tough schedule that we do. “But I think that both teams are better than their record shows.”
Both teams will now turn to the post-season sectional tournament.
Clinton-Massie will play two-time defending state champion Archbishop Alter 6 p.m. at Lebanon High School in the Div. II sectional.
East Clinton will play No. 6 seed Williamsburg 11 a.m. Feb. 18 at Fred Summers Court at the Wilmington Middle School in a Div. III matchup.
SUMMARY
February 11, 2017
@Clinton-Massie High School
Clinton-Massie 49 East Clinton 31
CM 18.03.09.19…..49
EC 04.06.11.10…..31
(49) CLINTON-MASSIE (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Ireland 0-0-4/6-4 Theetge 2-0-7/8-11 Cottrell 3-1-2/2-9 Rose 2-1-0-5 Hurlburt 0-0-0-0 Leary 1-0-3/4-5 Miller 0-0-0-0 Doss 0-0-1/2-1 Woods 0-0-0-0 Newton 2-0-2/4-6 Myers 3-0-2/4-8. TOTALS 13-2-21/30-49
(31) EAST CLINTON (fg-3-3fg-ft-tp) La. Peterman 1-0-0/2-2 Campbell 2-0-0-4 Lilly 1-0-1/2-3 Durbin 5-1-0/3-11 Davis 1-0-0-2 Christian 3-0-2/2-8 Luttrell 0-0-1/2-1 Hall 0-0-0-0. TOTALS 13-1/4/11-31
